[xtypo_dropcap]T[/xtypo_dropcap]he Republic of China (Taiwan) parliament, on Dec. 7, placed human rights above economic advantage and, in doing so, struck a blow for the continued independence of the ROC from communist China.
Taiwan’s parliament passed a resolution that calls for banning those who have violated human rights in mainland China from visiting Taiwan. In doing so, the parliament followed the lead of nine city or county councils that had passed similar resolutions.
The passing of these resolutions occurs within the context of increasing pressure placed on Taiwan by the mainland regime.
The Chinese regime is notorious for the military pressure it places on Taiwan, as each year more advanced missiles, planes, and naval forces target the island. The regime attempts to bring such overwhelming force potentially to bear that resistance to any invasion would be futile.
But the CCP has a parallel strategy for putting pressure on Taiwan, one that is perhaps less well-understood—the united front. The CCP employed the united front strategy in its conquest of China.
United front work seeks to make those who are not opposed to the CCP—or even those who are against the CCP—work for the CCP’s interests, knowingly or unknowingly. In recent years, the CCP has been very active with united front work in Western countries.
As China’s economy has grown, Taiwan’s economy has become increasingly dependent on mainland China, and the CCP has taken more aggressive steps toward Taiwan. Included in these steps are the large delegations China sends to Taiwan.
Led by the Party chiefs and government heads of provinces and cities, the delegations bring with them the possibility of big contracts and the promise of future collaboration.
In addition, many Taiwan media have already been bought or infiltrated. Taiwan’s own media often reinforce the seductive appeal of joining the mainland.
The united front work gains leverage from the economy while the media outlets add their voices—the pressure is so huge that no one would seem to be able to resist.
In recent years, the CCP has been playing with soft power. This strategy encounters at least one major stumbling block: The CCP still adheres to communist ideology as the foundation of the regime. Yet the CCP knows that with the abandonment of communism in the former Soviet Union and in Eastern Europe 20 years ago, communism can no longer deceive the Chinese people, much less the world.
So the CCP has had to borrow something from Chinese tradition. It disguises many of its united front tools in its Confucius Institutes and in some cases hides intelligence agents in the Institutes. Just before the ceremony of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, a new Confucius Peace Award was created in a rush.
Taiwan’s parliament passed a resolution that calls for banning those who have violated human rights in mainland China from visiting Taiwan. In doing so, the parliament followed the lead of nine city or county councils that had passed similar resolutions.
United Front
The passing of these resolutions occurs within the context of increasing pressure placed on Taiwan by the mainland regime.
The Chinese regime is notorious for the military pressure it places on Taiwan, as each year more advanced missiles, planes, and naval forces target the island. The regime attempts to bring such overwhelming force potentially to bear that resistance to any invasion would be futile.
But the CCP has a parallel strategy for putting pressure on Taiwan, one that is perhaps less well-understood—the united front. The CCP employed the united front strategy in its conquest of China.
United front work seeks to make those who are not opposed to the CCP—or even those who are against the CCP—work for the CCP’s interests, knowingly or unknowingly. In recent years, the CCP has been very active with united front work in Western countries.
As China’s economy has grown, Taiwan’s economy has become increasingly dependent on mainland China, and the CCP has taken more aggressive steps toward Taiwan. Included in these steps are the large delegations China sends to Taiwan.
Led by the Party chiefs and government heads of provinces and cities, the delegations bring with them the possibility of big contracts and the promise of future collaboration.
In addition, many Taiwan media have already been bought or infiltrated. Taiwan’s own media often reinforce the seductive appeal of joining the mainland.
The united front work gains leverage from the economy while the media outlets add their voices—the pressure is so huge that no one would seem to be able to resist.
Soft Power
In recent years, the CCP has been playing with soft power. This strategy encounters at least one major stumbling block: The CCP still adheres to communist ideology as the foundation of the regime. Yet the CCP knows that with the abandonment of communism in the former Soviet Union and in Eastern Europe 20 years ago, communism can no longer deceive the Chinese people, much less the world.
So the CCP has had to borrow something from Chinese tradition. It disguises many of its united front tools in its Confucius Institutes and in some cases hides intelligence agents in the Institutes. Just before the ceremony of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, a new Confucius Peace Award was created in a rush.
This use of tradition does not solve the CCP’s soft-power problem. In fact, the CCP is against all Chinese traditions. It criticized Confucius for many years, and traditional Chinese culture is not on the CCP’s side.
The choice of traditional window dressing cannot hide these basic facts: The CCP still refuses any political reform and insists on totalitarian rule, while human rights in China continue to deteriorate.
In contrast, Taiwan’s democracy is becoming increasingly mature, as freedom of speech and the press, freedom of religion and belief, and freedom of assembly become part of daily life in Taiwan. This is soft power the communist regime can never match.
The example of a free Taiwan society makes a huge impact on those visiting Chinese delegations. This advantage, if used wisely, could cancel out the CCP’s united front work and change Taiwan’s relation to the Chinese regime from passive to active.
In 2009, the ROC parliament adopted and President Ma Ying-jeou signed the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights. On Oct. 10, 2010, the National Day of the ROC, President Ma announced the establishment of the ROC Human Rights Consultative Committee, whose mandate is to protect human rights and basic freedoms in Taiwan.
Taiwan has aligned itself with the international move to protect human rights while rededicating itself to securing rights inside Taiwan.
For the past 61 years of communist rule, at least half of the Chinese people have been persecuted in one way or another. In the past 11 years, Falun Gong practitioners in particular have been persecuted.
Because the persecution of Falun Gong is ongoing, many current officials of the CCP and the Chinese state have been deeply involved in it—including many taking part in the delegations to Taiwan and some leading the delegations.
Since Dec. 15, 2009, six high-ranking Chinese officials have been sued by the Taiwan Falun Dafa Association during their visits. The most recent one is Ji Lin, the vice-mayor of Beijing. According to the ROC Constitution, the jurisdiction of the ROC still covers mainland China, not just Taiwan.
No matter how the lawsuits turn out, the process of the lawsuits and the resolutions of the parliament and the councils of the cities or counties have already made the point. Under tremendous political and economic pressure, the people in Taiwan still condemn those who violate human rights.
Taiwan deserves the world’s respect. The United States might learn something from this small island nation about the uses of soft power in opposing the economic and military aggression of the Chinese regime.
The choice of traditional window dressing cannot hide these basic facts: The CCP still refuses any political reform and insists on totalitarian rule, while human rights in China continue to deteriorate.
In contrast, Taiwan’s democracy is becoming increasingly mature, as freedom of speech and the press, freedom of religion and belief, and freedom of assembly become part of daily life in Taiwan. This is soft power the communist regime can never match.
The example of a free Taiwan society makes a huge impact on those visiting Chinese delegations. This advantage, if used wisely, could cancel out the CCP’s united front work and change Taiwan’s relation to the Chinese regime from passive to active.
In 2009, the ROC parliament adopted and President Ma Ying-jeou signed the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights. On Oct. 10, 2010, the National Day of the ROC, President Ma announced the establishment of the ROC Human Rights Consultative Committee, whose mandate is to protect human rights and basic freedoms in Taiwan.
Taiwan has aligned itself with the international move to protect human rights while rededicating itself to securing rights inside Taiwan.
For the past 61 years of communist rule, at least half of the Chinese people have been persecuted in one way or another. In the past 11 years, Falun Gong practitioners in particular have been persecuted.
Because the persecution of Falun Gong is ongoing, many current officials of the CCP and the Chinese state have been deeply involved in it—including many taking part in the delegations to Taiwan and some leading the delegations.
Since Dec. 15, 2009, six high-ranking Chinese officials have been sued by the Taiwan Falun Dafa Association during their visits. The most recent one is Ji Lin, the vice-mayor of Beijing. According to the ROC Constitution, the jurisdiction of the ROC still covers mainland China, not just Taiwan.
No matter how the lawsuits turn out, the process of the lawsuits and the resolutions of the parliament and the councils of the cities or counties have already made the point. Under tremendous political and economic pressure, the people in Taiwan still condemn those who violate human rights.
Taiwan deserves the world’s respect. The United States might learn something from this small island nation about the uses of soft power in opposing the economic and military aggression of the Chinese regime.
