Posted on 12/02/2001 9:26:18 AM PST by Hopalong
It's my understanding, for what it's worth, that some in the KMT and a few others are aiming at exactly such a "solution" on the mainland, though theoretically with any number of "parties."
On the other hand, the ChiComs argue, that by maintaining a few inconsequential dummy "parties", they are obviously already a multi-party state, hehe.
At any rate, the ChiComs don't seem to grasp easily that the ROC on Taiwan is not the British in Hongkong or the Portuguese in Macau.
Best regards. S&W R.I.P.
*Thunk*
Maybe it is because I don't like 'simple' solutions or explanations, but I think that the Chinese government strategy is 'bloody devious' (to use a British phrase). When you hold up a mirror to yourself, you see what you want to see, but you cannot see underneath, and that is without even going into the machivellian motives of the various parties. I would really like to hear from some former Sinologists, but they seem to be rather thin on the ground these days.
Regs,
VRN
Best regards. S&W R.I.P.
The element of surprise as outlined, if all the precursor assumptions of sea/air-lift inadequacy are invalidated (and quite likely too if you look at the scale of the PRC purchase of Boeing's 757s) are sufficient for them to make a 'go' decision. Harry Wu has also said they will invade, AND they will use nuclear weapons. And not just against Taiwan and its defenses, but against the U.S. mainland. They are crazy enough to do it, and play a game of 'nuclear-chicken.'
There are more than 1 million people from Taiwan work in China and China really needs Taiwan's business and factory managemnent skill badly. Here is a real example: A sr. executive who works in a large US company had a business trip to Taiwan. He was originally from Taiwan. Once he arrived in Taiwan he wanted to see his old college friends and could not find them because all of them work in China. So he flew to GuangZho, China and had the reunion there.
Today's KMT is splitted into 3 parties and it is not a major party anymore. Most of those KMT members do not maintain the old slogan "Take back China and Save the Chinese culture and people". Now DPP is the leading party in Taiwan, China can control DPP easily. Look at those members established DPP who are no longer DPP member now, they all are doing big businesses in China.
Military action against Taiwan is not an option because it does not worth the benefit. Open up China for Taiwanese is the best and easiest way to take Taiwan back and US's intervention will never happen.
US has to create a fake tension atmosphere between Taiwan and China so we can sell more out-dated weapons to Taiwan.
The crux, as usual. Some are bluffing, but doubtless some are sufficiently disconnected from reality to contemplate it.
Which is why it is not a question of whether they would "win" or not.
As I said in #3, such moves, if contemplated by the marginally rational among them, would be in my opinion strictly ancillary to painstaking political manipulation.
Which, of course, is exactly how they came to power on the mainland in the first place. And, merely by the way, how the Taleban took over most of Afghanistan.
The assassination of Massoud, in my opinion, was supposed to be the penultimate step.
Best regards. S&W R.I.P.
Another crux, which some of the more naive enemies of the KMT are constitutionally incapable of putting into their equations.
Cf. #3.
"Sleepers," until the decsive awakening, usually maintain an outward appearance of great militancy for whatever "cause" they are subverting in their dreams.
Ah Hui (for whom, admittedly from great remove, I have considerable respect) is, at least as far as I can see, playing his own usual, brilliant, and decisive game, don't you think?
Best regards. S&W R.I.P.
Best regards. S&W R.I.P.
It won't be a huge invasion at first with bombs and planes and ground troops, but rather a series of small actions that will grow in scale and scope. We of course will rattle our saber and warn China against any further action, but it will be too late.
Remember China's goal is to expand their territory. They can smile at us and even pretend to be open to some western influence (like maybe they'll let their citizans view the internet for a brief period of time, like with 9/11). But the reality is that this government is a cold, blood-thirsty communist regime bent on destroying the west. Sorry to be so upbeat, but it IMHO it is going to happen.
Ah Hui is the Godfather of Chen. He brilliantly single-handed divided KMT into 3 parties, now for this election KMT becomes 4 parties. And that was how he made Chen the president of ROC.
A lot of people in Taiwan still believe Ah Hui is a communist, not necessary the CCP. His sole job was to destroy KMT and he did it beautifully. By traditional Chinese moral value, Ah Hui should be ashamed and hide because he betrayed his party.
CCP can achieve their goal by commerce then why force? Besides, there will be a big price to pay by CCP if they want to take Taiwan by force. They already got more than half of Taiwan's money anyway.
Taiwan's businessmen's mentality: "Borrow money from Taiwan's Banks, Invest and Make money in China, Deposite money in HongKong's banks."
I understand the attitude to some large degree. By the same values, the ChiComs should collectively commit suicide. And those who oppose them should act the role of the old "Censors."
To what extent did some of the Nationalist factions betray Ah Hui, do you think?
Rather than dealing with new and promising realities, including the apparent attachment of a growing number of ROC citizens to a vibrant, almost no-holds-barred Republic where many of the traditional valuessuch as the quietism of "Disaster from the mouth"no longer hold?
I defer to you on present theories about his "ideological" underpinnings, if any.
As far as I can see, he is playing a middle game. That he was responsible for Chen's initial election, and his Party's present success seems inarguable.
But was that not partly because so many in his own party did not wish to acknowledge his own auctoritas? On the other hand, had he wished simply to anoint Chen as his successor, why form a new party?
I have heard some describe Lien as incompetent. What is your view?
Best regards. S&W R.I.P.
And even without us, if it came to that, as it almost did under our last administration, the ROC is perfectly capable of fighting off the CCP, militarily or otherwise.
With us on their side, it's not much of a contest.
One thing is certain, the CCP would not survive such an attack.
Best regards. S&W R.I.P.
Best regards. S&W R.I.P.
Why?
>>By traditional Chinese moral value, Ah Hui should be ashamed and hide because he betrayed his party.
Lee betrayed the CCP in the first place. Why did the KMT trust a traitor?
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