Unity against Communist China’s ‘United Front’ (2) : On history and today

The Taipei Times, Taiwan, Sunday, Nov 16, 2008-

(Cont’d)

When President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) came to power, the CCP was extremely pleased because the KMT had finally produced another Sun Yueh-chi. Thus, “Mr Ma” has become the primary target in China’s united front strategy. When Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait Chairman Chen Yunlin (陳雲林) visited Taiwan, we clearly saw the real intent behind China’s friendly demeanor.

Chen assumed a modest attitude and did not show resentment when seeing protesters. He even said: “I heard and saw what they were saying.”

After signing four agreements with Chen, the KMT devoted itself to wining and dining the Chinese envoy, unaware that it was becoming an obedient puppy on a CCP leash.

The united front strategy is becoming more concrete, and we must be on our guard in several areas.

The CCP will try to sow division not only between the KMT and the DPP, but also between factions within the parties in an attempt to weaken their strength, as the CCP fears that its enemies could work together and thus become stronger.

There will also be attempts at co-opting individual people and organizations. Different players in Taiwan have different interests and ideologies, and this offers the CCP an excellent opportunity. Large Taiwanese enterprises want to be profitable in China and financial institutes are thinking about opening branches there, while many people have hometown bonds in China.

Some politicians also like to go to China to share in benefits from accelerated cross-strait exchanges. Add to this the growing confrontation between the KMT and the DPP, and the conditions are perfect for China to alienate one party from another. While Taiwan suffers from domestic conflict, the CCP wins over KMT supporters. The ramifications are clear.

Another technique is infiltration. When Chen was in Taiwan, we could see that he already had people here serving as cheerleaders. When he was silent, someone would speak for him. When he made an improper remark, someone would put things right. When he tried to demean Taiwanese public opinion, someone would justify his actions.

It is clear that signing the cross-strait agreements was not a beneficial act for Taiwan, yet some people have extolled it as an essential process and argue that the agreements will profit Taiwanese industry.

Media outlets in Taiwan have become mouthpieces for China. Recently, the China Times Group was acquired by the China-based Taiwanese company Want Want China Holdings Ltd. Will the company be able to refrain from flattering the Chinese government after this change in ownership? Such infiltration is all but certain to extend to the industrial, technological and cultural sectors, for example, as well as academia.

Taiwanese will be attracted to China. Since cross-strait charter flights were implemented, the doors to Taiwan have been opened wide without any protective mechanism put in place.

Rapid economic development in China’s coastal cities will inevitably attract more and more people to invest there. By that time, Taiwan will have no strength to resist; it will, for all intents and purposes, become a Chinese locality.

Chen’s “smiling attack” on Taiwanese is part of China’s united front strategy. Under pressure from increasing public opposition in Taiwan, Chen will likely be at pains to show more goodwill to help resolve Ma’s political crisis. We must exercise caution and look beyond these tricks. We must expose China’s true colors to alert the Taiwanese public to the seriousness of the situation and call on them to stand up for their country and fight this pernicious enemy.

Only with opposition unity can the Ma government be prevented from colluding with Chen and China and thus selling out Taiwan. (end)

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- The Taipei Times