THE DEMOCRATIC RE-UNIFICATION OF CHINA

By Dr. Yu-Tang D. Lew
				
	Ending of the American Civil War affirmed the validity and strength of democratic government and inspired the expansion of democracy around the world in the years since then.  Before the century was over, a 29-year old Chinese, Sun Yat-sen, began a successful virtually bloodless movement to overthrow the Manchu monarchy which had ruled China for two and half centuries and to found a republic.

	Two World Wars and one Cold War in the 20th century have resulted in the majority of nations of the world enjoying "government of the people, by the people, for the people", even if in varying degrees.  The democratic movement has been the tide of history brought on by the example and leadership of the United States.

	Yet today problems exist which make democratic achievements less than satisfactory and much yet to be desired.  The War Against Terrorism has been thrust upon the United States; the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict continues, a few countries are still under despotic governments, and the bifurcation of China into two systems of government threatens the peace of this nation and of East Asia.

	World War II resulted in bifurcation of Germany, Vietnam, Korea, and China.  Germany and Vietnam have been reunited, North Korea insists on its separation from South Korea.  The ongoing separation of the Republic of China and the People's Republic of China remains to be peacefully united, and until then constitutes a threat to the peace of East Asia.

	When the People's Republic of China (PRC) was founded in 1949, the territory of the Republic of China (ROC) had largely been taken over by the PRC with the exception of Taiwan, the island province whose indigenous population then was six million, remaining in its jurisdiction.

	The ROC moved its government and remnant armed forces to Taiwan and succeeded in defending Taiwan from the PRC.  With nearly two million mainlanders, including many Western-educated students returning from abroad, augmenting Taiwan's population, the foundations for Taiwan's present-day superstructure of economic achievements, political democracy and cultural attainments were begun in earnest.

	When the United States in 1972 began to "normalize" its relations with the PRC, it did so with the knowledge that the ROC's goal was the "recovery of the Mainland" and its claim as representing the sovereignty of all China.  Although the U.S. eventually in 1979 severed diplomatic relations with the ROC, its friendship with the people of ROC living in Taiwan did not end, and its business and unofficial relations continued with unabated substance.  The ROC vacated its seat in the UN in 1971 when the General Assembly passed a two-thirds majority vote to allow the PRC to replace the ROC.  This was a diplomatic, political action which is legally questionable.. For the fact remains that the name "Republic of China" remains indelible in the United Nations Charter which no vote of the General Assembly can erase.

	In 1992 a dialogue commenced between semi-official agents from both ROC and PRC, which soon revealed a disparity between the two respective parties.  Unknown to the public at large, one party was negotiating as by a national authority and imputing to the other as a local authority.  Exasperated by this assumption on the opponent's part, the then ROC President announced to the world in 1995 that the negotiations between the two sides were legally on an equal state-to-state basis.  As a result, the dialogue has been suspended by the other side and not resumed since then.  The assertion by the ROC is correct, as the ROC, despite reduction of its territorial magnitude, remains a legal entity, as ascertained by the above-mentioned facts, and its name remains sanctioned in the UN Charter and is recognized by some, if not many, nation-states.

	The normalization of relations with the PRC by the Nixon Administration did not imply that by doing so, Taiwan was to be separated from the idea of China.  The U.S. continued to recognize the ROC government for the ensuing decade.  Although in the juridical eyes of the U.S. government, American severance of its official relations with the ROC virtually removed the latter's government from existence, yet the ROC as an international entity remains alive in the world..

	For this reason, the U.S. took pains to assure that Taiwan will not be separated forcibly from China, nor will its ultimate resolution of status be coerced by any force from any quarter, but will be arrived at by peaceful agreement on the part of the PRC and ROC.  From 1979 until 2002, the policy of the U.S. was to encourage respect for this formula for keeping cross-Strait relations peaceful...  But in 2002, the new Bush Administration felt need for a more unambiguous stand of "defending Taiwan with whatever it took."

	This clear-cut American policy has greatly reduced the menace of attack that had  hovered over Taiwan since 1996.  For this the people on Taiwan are undoubtedly very grateful.  By President Bush's forthright statement, the people on Taiwan are assured of developing their democracy and economy with peace of mind and heart, without unreasonable fetters of any kind.  But why does President Chen Shui-bian then see fit to caution, "We must not embarrass the U.S."?

	Since the defeat of the Kuomintang (KMT) which had ruled Taiwan from 1945 until the presidential election of 2000, a new ruling party, the People's Democratic Party (DDP) has tasted the sweet wine of power which has inebriated many of its adherents for "Taiwan Independence".  President Chiang Kai-shek has been denigrated as a dictator, despot, assailed for many excesses his party and government may have been responsible for.  Most of the statues erected in his memory have been brought down; many emblems of his administration have been removed and replaced.  Some of these people, including President Chen himself, no longer call themselves "Chinese"  The votes for President Chen numbered less than the combined votes in the two main opposing candidates of the KMT and People First Party (PFP, formed by defectors from the KMT.)  In the legislative election the following year, the DDP gained more seats than before but still less than the combined seats of KMT and PFP legislators.  Nevertheless, the DDP victory was legitimate and has given the "Taiwan Independence" supporters more encouragement than they had imagined.

	The challenge that the independence movement is making is not only to the PRC but also to the ROC.  For this reason, President Chen admits it would be an "embarrassment to the U.S. -- if the movement gains supporters from the American public or Congress.   For if it does, in the name of "self-determination", the White House would be embarrassed and under pressure to commit an error which would cause irreparable damage to future relations between the U.S. and China.

	However, on May 29, 2002 the American government made known that the U.S. not only does not support independence for Taiwan but, more unambiguously, was "opposed" to it.  This, with President Bush's above-mentioned quote, gives a clear indication of America's support to the Republic of China's endeavor to reunite China democratically and peacefully.  It is a most welcome encouragement to plans and efforts that will be ongoing toward the fulfillment of China's destiny to preserve its traditional culture and to continue developing into the 21st century with democracy for over a billion people emanating to the promotion of peace, prosperity and progress for all nations of the world.