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By William A. Busher Taiwan’s presidential election on March 23 has brought to a boil a whole series of developments that have been cooking away on the back burner for several years. It has completed, just for one thing, Taiwan’s transition from an authoritar ian regime to a full- fledged democracy. Combined with the achievements of Taiwan's powerful economy, it has at tracted the admiring attention of the world — an attention Taiwan's s lead ers have séizéd’ ‘on to promote its desire for further retentonl recog nition, including membership in the United Nations. ‘These various developments, in turn, have induced a humongous squalling fit in Beijing. The Chinese Communist regime is jealous of Taiwan’s prosperity, frightened by the suggestive example of its democracy, and furious, at any hint that Taiwan may cease to’ regard itself as a Chi nese province and seek to go its own way as a sovereign nation. .of 21 mil lion people.. Hence Beijing’s recent military ex ercises — featuring surface-to-surface missiles with live ammunition’ — in the Taiwan Strait and not far from Taiwan’s two main ports. On Taiwan itself, the Kuomintang, which is‘ the governing party, insists that it favors’ reunification ‘with the mainland when China is free and democratic — i.e., after the Commu nists are gone. The only open support for independence comes from the chief opposition party, which apparently is ready to risk a Communist attack. Listen to this effusion by Chen Shih meng, a former Secretary General of that party (the Democratic Progres sives), as quoted in the New York Times: a “If China uses military force, we will counterattack. We could destroy their economic zones incredibly fast. We will not win by pitching threats against mil itary experts in the Chinese leader ship, but if we use our military capacities to sow ‘fear among the economists, ‘we can‘ divide that lead ership to triumph.” a. ‘Nonsense doesn’t stop being non sense merely, because it’s spoken by the Chinese. Beijing is almost certainly not ready to invade Taiwan today, but an economic blockade could ruin Taiwan's economy, and selective mis sile shots could devastate the island. In those circumstances, it would be madness for any Taiwanese govern ment to provoke Beijing by moving toward independence now. Even the demands for U.N. membership can wait, if necessary. Time is on Taiwan's side, as the aging leaders of China die off and the regime struggles‘to main tain itself,amid the economic and po litical pressures this will generate. The proper course for Taiwan is watchful waiting. And what about the United States? Unfortunately, just when it is crucial to make Beijing understand that any attack on Taiwan would provoke what ever American response was neces sary to defeat it, we have a president whose lifelong habit has been to judge every question presented to him. So Secretary of State Christopher goes on the Sunday talk shows and an nounces proudly that we have made it “very clear” to Beijing that any attack by China on Taiwan would be — what? “a matter of very grave concern.” What is Beijing supposed to make of that? How can it find out what, if any thing, that phrase means, except by attacking? No doubt there is something to be said for a bit of tactical ambiguity about the precise nature of the Amer ican response, but there is nothing ‘whatever for leaving Beijing in: the ‘slightest doubt that attacking Taiwan would be a disaster for Communist ‘China. Now Bill Clinton can see how badly ‘he blundered when he repudiated his ‘own campaign pledge and “de-linked” our stand on China’s barbarous human rights record from our readiness to trade with it. Instead of civilizing Bei jing, he has simply created a greedy lobby of American traders with China who will resist any effort to tame Bei jing’s aggressive ways. _ Interestingly, all this plays right into the hands of Bob Dole, a foreign policy expert and a longtime friend of Taiwan's. © 1996 NEWSPAPER ENTERPRISE ASSN. William A. Rusher is a Distinguished Fellow of the Claremont Institute for the Study of Statesmanship and Po litical Philosophy. , THE CONSERVATIVE ADVOCATE RUSHER
Newspaper Details
Marshall Chronicle
Marshall, Michigan, US
Sat, Mar 30, 1996
Page 2
Full Page
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USA 01 Jul 2026
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