FRANKFURT - By invition of the Global Alliance for Democracy and Peace German branch, Mr. Xin Haonian, Director of the Chinese Contemporary History Research Institute and Editor-in-Chief of Huanghuagang Journal, a quarterly publication on history and culture, gave public lectures in Frankfurt and Hamburg on May 25 and 27 respectively, titled “A look from an historical angle on the influence that the rising of China has on Taiwan.”
In the lecture, Xin first elaborated how the concept of “China,” as a nation, was formed in history. Then he discussed the two Chinas in modern times, namely, the Republic of China founded by Sun Zhongshan after overthrowing the Qing Dynasty in 1911, and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) founded in 1949, which used Marxism-Leninism as guiding principles. From the perspective of nationalism, the former one is considered “the China of Chinese nation,” while the latter is considered to be the first theocracy in Chinese history fostered by the former Soviet Union – the “Marxist-Leninist China.”
Using the historical experience of Britain, France, Russia and Germany, Xin told the audience that the democracy and freedom currently enjoyed in Europe was established after repeated struggles between the republican and the despotic systems and numerous predecessors’ efforts. The once-emerged republican regimes in these countries, although in a long term stage of decline under the shadow of the despotic forces’ counter attacks, were never forgotten by people. For instance, the stability of the French Republic was affected nearly one hundred years, during which time two republican regimes were overthrown by dictatorships until the establishment of the French Third Republic in 1889. For Germany, from the establishment of the first republic in 1919, the Weimar Republic, the western democracy didn’t end the despotic system in Eastern Germany until Eastern and Western Germany merged in 1990.
As to China’s growth, he pointed out that the “Rising of China” people are talking about today actually refers to the development of the “Marxist-Leninist China” over the twenty years of reform and open policy period. Recognizing the economic development brought about by the reform and open policy, he pointed out, however, that the “achievement” of corruption was even greater, as was the extreme imbalance between the rich and the poor. Moreover, compared with the economic achievement reached by the “Westernization Movement” in late-Qing Dynasty (e.g., GDP growth of 28 percent) and the political open policy during the National Republic of China (1911 – 1949) with over 1,000 private newspapers, the economic growth under the rule of the CCP can only be counted as “a small progress in a great retrogression.”
Taiwan, as the present stronghold of the Republic of China, has always been “the pain in the heart of the Marxist-Leninist China,” which therefore has always adopted two strategies concerning Taiwan, namely, “forcing unification by war and urging unification by a united work front.” For instance, the Taiwan Independence Movement was the early target of the Chinese Communist Party’s united work front, and it had been secretly supported by the communists since the civil war (1945 – 1949) between the National Party and the CCP. However, after the implementation of democracy in Taiwan, the CCP changed its tactics and is against the Taiwan Independence Movement. In fact it wanted a dictatorship to overthrow the democracy.
He held that, at present, in the face of the mainland’s despotic system, the Taiwanese actually only enjoy “democracy under a dark cloud,” and should at least not interfere in the process of the mainland populace pursuing freedom and democracy. He advocated that people in Taiwan should “resist despotism with democracy” instead of “resist unification with independence.” Only by doing so can Taiwan uphold democracy while facing the “rising China” and gain recognition and support from the mainland people.
During the question and answer section, Xin quoted the data published by the CCP Central Propaganda Ministry that more than 80,000 demonstration events happened in 2005. He further pointed out that the people in Mainland China are awakening. He hoped people in Taiwan would not merely fall into the conflicts between the National Party and the Pro-Democracy Party, especially on the issue of independence of Taiwan. They should expand their vision to think for the people in mainland China and pay attention to and show sympathy for the current human rights movement and Falun Gong and other groups who are fighting for freedom.
As to the question – “Who can replace the Chinese Communist Party?” Xin suggested that at present the most important thing is the awakening of the people in Mainland China. People will eventually make a decision of what is the best path to take. The CCP has only ruled China for a little over 50 years, and China has a history of 5,000 years. He said that “A country has talented people generation after generation.”
Xin’s analysis during his lectures copiously quoted the classics, and was full of objective and precise arguments, which gained the audience’s heated response. His lectures in both cities were extended for nearly an hour due to audience participation in raising questions. Prior to the May 27 lecture in the Hamburg Chinese Association, Chen Huayu, the head of the Taiwan Agency in Hamburg gave a welcoming speech for Xin.
On the evening of May 29,.Xin also held a seminar with audiences at the Berlin Industrial University. He will continue with his trip and will give lectures in Brussels, Belgium, Paris, France and Madrid.
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