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Taiwan's trick in fuss about 'Chang Hui-mei event'
(People's Daily)
Updated: 2004-08-14 11:21

On August 5, Annette Lu raised a severe question about the matter concerning Taiwan's folk song singer Chang Hui-mei (A Mei)who recently went to Beijing to hold a singing performance:

As "the two sides of the Taiwan Straits are in a state of a quasi-war, if the two sides are to start war, is it important for Chang Hui-mei to go to the mainland for a singing performance, or is it important to safeguard and defend the security of 23 million people?" Lu's remarks are hard for people to understand, if war breaks out between the two sides of the Strait, how can a singer be able to "safeguard and defend the security of 23 million Taiwan people? What's more, if war really breaks out between the two sides of the Straits, how can Chang Hui-mei go to the mainland to hold a singing performance?

It was not enough for Annette Lu to come forward alone, Taiwan's "head of the Administrative Yuan" You Hsi-kun that same day also criticized Chang Hui-mei, saying: "This time Chang went to China to repent, she should act cautiously, there is obviously problem with nationals' mental precaution." His words are obviously put more clearly than Lu's remark, she meant to ask Taiwan people to"keep mental vigilance" against the Chinese mainland., to always keep the mainland at a distance and to be hostile to it, it is best not to have dealings with the mainland.

Taiwan authorities'unreasonable accusation has again triggered the "Chang Hui-mei topic"on the Island.

'Taiwan independence' elements play at Chang Hui-mei incident

In fact, the present premise of the remarks of Annette Lu and You Hsi-kun is crystal clear, the Chinese mainland is a "hostile country", going to a "hostile country" to hold a singing performance is, in their eyes, naturally an inconceivable thing. The remarks of Lu and You are naturally met with the strong doubtful questions by progressive public opinion on the Island, Hsiao Kuan-yu with Taiwan Solidarity Union said in defense of Lu, "Is it important to make money on the mainland, or is it important to safeguard Taiwan's security?"His answer naturally is the latter, in the eyes of these "Taiwan independence" elements, anyone who goes to the mainland to develop himself for whatever reason should be subjected to criticism.

What's more, after Chang Hui-mei arrived in the mainland, she did not express her stand "identified by the state", nor did she take the initiative to act in keeping with the idea of "Taiwan independence, her actions have thus aroused the dissatisfaction of "Taiwan independence" elements. Notorious "Taiwan independence" hatchet man Wang Penhu said: Now many Taiwan artists have gone to the mainland to develop themselves, "The question of Ah Mei is also a question which Taiwan artists will face, be they in the blue or green color, singers can naturally have their personal political stance", but once they go out, what they hold is Taiwan passport, they cannot fail to have a national concept, with regard to national identification, they should also clearly express their attitude, and should not act in an ambiguous manner."

Therefore, Annette Lu and others made a big fuss about this incident, which is just like "Xiang Zhuang performed the sword dance as a cover for his attempt on Liu Bang's life"--acting with a hidden motive. What they really do not want to see is that Taiwan public lack the"national identification"that meets their own "Taiwan independence" standard. As fir Chang Hui-mei, she is nothing but a victim of Annette Lu and others on their road of pursuit of "Taiwan independence" identification. The reason why Lu and the like chose Chang Hui-mei as their target of attack is because Chang enjoys a high reputation, in Lu's words, Chang is an "international giant star", "Chang Hui-mei's capacity has gone beyond her identity as an original resident, her words and deeds have made it impossible for her to be treated as an ordinary person."Making use of such a person with high reputation, but taking her, who was originally a resident singer with a very low political sensitivity, as the target of attack, is just like killing a chicken to frighten the monkey, Lu and others thought they naturally could get an ideal effect.

There hangs a tale behind the attack

In fact, this is a natural extension of "Taiwan independence" elements'consistent practice in their approach toward cross-Strait relations. Furthermore, if the realities of current cross-Strait relations and the Island's political situation are taken into consideration, they have more deep-seated aims.

Firstly, they create an atmosphere of tension to aggravate antagonism between the two sides of the Straits. "Taiwan independence" elements are well aware, if cross-Strait exchanges continue to expand and develop, that will deal a fatal blow to them. Increase of mutual understanding between people on both sides of the Straits will cause an immediate bankruptcy of the obscurantist policy pushed by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and "Taiwan independence" forces, and immediate reduction in their living space. So they try every possible means to obstruct cross-Strait exchange. Leaving aside other things, the reversal on the question of the "three direct links"of mail, trade and air and shipping services has made it possible to see a segment of a whole. Lee Teng-hui said: The trial of strengths on the issue of "three links" between the two sides is "a smokeless war", the realization of one link among the "three direct links" would mean Taiwan's surrender. While Chen Shui-bian once also said: The "three links" are the final bargaining counter of Taiwan, which should not be realized until the last moment. The so-called "good will" in relation to negotiation on "three links" between the two sides, which he released only recently since he took office, has long been proved to be a politician's trick, once the mainland makes a positive response, they would immediately shrink back.

"Taiwan independence" elements' attack on Chang Hui-mei this time remains to be in the set pattern. Lu even upgrades cross-Strait relations to "the state of a quasi-war". According to her explanations, it is that:"We are worried they (the mainland) would take action against Taiwan before the year 2006, and our careful observation shows cross-Strait relationship has actually entered the state of quasi-war." In fact, what Lu is worried about is not that the mainland would take actions against Taiwan, but instead, the expansion of cross-Strait exchange and relaxation of cross-Strait relationship would gradually shake and corrode the social foundation of "Taiwan independence".

Secondly, they set the keynote for the election of the "Legislative Commission" at the end of this year. With the approaching of the election of the "Legislative Commission" at the end of this year, the Democratic Progressive Party would try to achieve the aim of more than half in the "Legislative Yuan" by taking advantage of the influence of the victory in "presidential" election. So, the topic for discussion on cross-Strait relations natural becomes a tool for mobilization. Because under the present circumstance wherein Taiwan is in an inferior position in relevance to the Chinese mainland, this topic is most capable of calling up the feeling of sadness on the part of Taiwan people, it is easy to make the impression that the "Communist Party of China would strike and oppress Taiwan", while "Taiwan independence" elements could portray themselves as heroes resisting the CPC, thereby gaining support from the general public. A look at the attack on Chang Hui-mei this time shows that the Democratic Progressive Party's strategy on cross-Strait relations about which a big fuss will be made during the election of the "Legislative Commission" at the end of this year has taken a hidden form.

Thirdly, they intensify their discourse about hegemony of "Taiwan independence" and follow the line of "Taiwan independence". By aid of the advantage of its ruling, the Democratic Progressive Party tries by hook and by crook to "green" the media, monopolize Taiwan's right of speech and proceed to create in Taiwan the hegemony of speech for "Taiwan independence". The attack on Chang Hui-mei this time is a striking example, the unspoken words are that under the circumstance of the DPP's ruling, if the "national identification" is in disagreement with the idea of "Taiwan independence", it will be subject to attack. In other words, anyone, no matter who he is, must be clear about "which side he chooses to stand" and is not allowed to have a space of neutrality, as long as he is a Taiwanese, even if he an artist like Chang Hui-mei, he is no exception.

To those general public whose "national identification" is not in conformity with the DPP's "Taiwan independence" idea and "Taiwan independence" discourse, a red label will immediately be strapped on them as "having no love for Taiwan" and as "fellow travelers of the CPC" and are thus subject to wanton attack. It is precisely by making use of such discourse hegemony that the DPP has formed the tyranny of minority.

Fourthly, they make fool of the general public by playing the trick of a thief crying "Stop Thief", and continue to defame the mainland. What is more unimaginable is that Lu holds that the Chinese mainland allowing Chang Hui-mei to go to Beijing to hold a singing performance is aimed "to make use of the complex of the original resident to provoke a contradiction between southern Fujian people and the original residents" This writer really does not know how to comment on this remark. During Taiwan's "general election", Lu and other politicians together provoked racial contradictions in Taiwan, as a consequence, racial antagonism in Taiwan has to date not calmed down. Taiwan society is now still in the suffering of avulsion. Now the mainland is devoted to improving cross-Strait ties and to strengthening people-to-people exchanges, and yet a label of "provoking racial contradictions in Taiwan" is strapped on it, such practice featuring a thief crying "Stop Thief"puts one in an awkward position. Hence one can see that Lu is ranked first in the world in terms of the shamelessness of a politician.

Strong resilience of Taiwan public opinion

The fierce attack on Chang Hui-mei has aroused a big stir in Taiwan and courted the severe criticism of the "opposition party". Kuomintang Party chairman Lien Chan was of the opinion that Annette Lu and Yu Hsi-kun as leaders "should not engage only in talking, and their talks have made people panicky, but they do not say what is to be done next, that will throw society into more chaos."Lee Hung-tsun with the "Legislative Commission" of People First Party indicated that Annette Lu openly asked Chang Hui-mei the question about which is more important, singing or defense of Taiwan?" that makes people feel worried that the DPP would be like the 1950s McCarthyism in the United States, using political white terror to control artists' freedom. In the opinion of Tsai Shi-ping, Lu and others intentionally exaggerated external pressure and then introduced such pressure into Taiwan society, thereby achieving their aim of repressing the political opponents.

When Lu's remarks reached Chang Hui-mei's hometown in eastern Taiwan, fellow townspeople indignantly rebuked Lu as being in"mental disorder"as she made irresponsible remarks. Originally as a resident without party membership, Kao Chin Su Mei with the "Legislative Commission" of Taiwan Solidarity Union voiced support of Chang Hui-mei, lashed out at Lu for making an inappropriate speech compelling an original resident woman artist to make clear her attitude toward a cross-Strait political question, and called on the "government"not to bully the original resident.

Even within the green camp, there are people who disagree to the remarks of Lu and You. Luo Chi-ming with the "Legislative Commission" of Taiwan Solidarity Union was of the opinion that "politicians engage in policy-making, while artists are concentrated on performing, this should mean well water does not interfere with river water, but lumping this together with ideology really means 'stirring up dust anywhere'."

As for the concerned person Chang Hui-mei, She is more deeply perplexed by this matter. In the face of accusation, she said, "What I want to say is that there are many things which are beyond my control, let things of the adults world be settled by adults, I'm only a singer, very simple and pure." However, conscientious persons do not forgive her because she is simple and pure, Tsai Chi-fang with the "Legislative Commission" said, "How can there be a family without a state, can a 30-odd-year old be still a child? He assailed, "someone is not clear about to which country oneself as a national belongs, this is a fiasco of education."

Therefore, Chang Hui-mei said that since her return to Taiwan from the singing performance in Beijing, she has all along been in a state of scare, and has been feeling uneasy even when eating and sleeping. She said,"I don't know why my name would appear in political news". As a consequence, "now I don't know what I should say because I'm afraid I would misspeak." Even when she was invited by a political comment program to make the matter clear to the audience before the camera lens, the invitation was refused by her, "because she did not want to see that the more she explained, the more obscured the matter became."

The singing performance Chang Hui-mei held in Beijing facilitates cross-Strait exchange and is conducive to relaxing antagonism between the two sides of the Straits, and yet she was unreasonably censured for this by Annette Lu and others. She barely escaped being put in the other register of the "betraying Taiwan group". We cannot help asking: What iss the real, fundamental cause of difficulty in breaking the deadlock between the two sides and the emergence of the grim situation across the Taiwan Straits? It is precisely because Chen Shui-bian, Annette Lu and others who refuse to accept the "one-China" principle, and instead are bent on engaging in "Taiwan independence"separatist activities, and pushing Taiwan to the dangerous brink of war, they are the real chief culprits that caused tension in cross-Strait relationship. Chen Shi-bian and Annette Lu keep on prating about human rights and democracy, professing that they take the welfare of the 23 million Taiwan people into hearts, but what would their practice of deliberately creating cross-Strait antagonism and provoking tension in cross-Strait relations bring to the Taiwan people? The answer is crystal clear.



 
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