自由時報 2008-11-8
美聯社評抗爭 台灣與中國 像不同星球
China envoy's Taiwan trip highlights differences
Nov 6, 8:42 PM EST
By WILLIAM FOREMAN
Associated Press Writer
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) -- He stepped off the plane with a mission: Make history by becoming the most senior Chinese official to visit Taiwan. Sign a landmark trade deal. Draw the wayward island closer to motherland China.
Chinese envoy Chen Yunlin did all those things during his trip that ended Friday. But his five-day visit also highlighted how - socially and politically - Taiwan and China are not merely like two separate countries. They are more like different planets.
While Chen hobnobbed with tycoons and officials on Taiwan's banquet circuit, he was mocked by comedians, cursed by rowdy street protesters and scrutinized by the island's aggressive media.
The press dubbed his Elvis-style pompadour hairdo "airplane head." A newspaper headline asked, "Who knows how much hair gel he uses?"
A popular chant by street protesters who dogged him was, "Chen Yunlin scram!" They unfurled a huge banner from a window at his hotel that called him a "Communist bandit." He was trapped in a banquet hall past midnight Wednesday by demonstrators who surrounded the venue and blocked traffic.
A nightly TV comedy show that features impersonations of political figures targeted him, too, with a comedian appearing as a stiff, poofy-haired Chen with two thuggish bodyguards at his side and mimicking the slow, stodgy way Chinese leaders speak.
Parody and protests are common in Taiwan's raucous democracy. They wouldn't be tolerated in Chen's communist police state back home, just 100 miles on the other side of the Taiwan Strait. The nation's top leaders must be respected - by everyone.
Despite the insults and mockery, Chen declared his trip a success as he ended his visit Friday. But he cautioned that the rivals had a long road to travel toward better relations.
"We have successfully accomplished this memorable voyage," he said. "We have completed the mission that people across the strait have long desired and have handed over to us."
But in a possible dig at the protesters, Chen assured the Taiwanese that if they visit China, they will see "harmony everywhere."
"We believe the future road is long but we will shoulder it and face up to this and that difficulty," he said.
Chen's Taiwanese counterpart, Chiang Pin-kung, also declared that the trip was successful, saying Taiwanese "will continue to strive for our ultimate goal of peace across the strait and a win-win economic situation."
Chen's visit was remarkable because it would have been virtually impossible a year ago.
That's when Taiwan had a president, Chen Shui-bian, who was despised by Beijing because he favored permanent independence. The two sides split amid civil war in 1949, and China says Taiwan has two choices: eventual unification or war.
Communist leaders refused to talk to Chen during his eight years in office, and they never sat down with the previous Taiwan-based presidents, who were staunch anti-Communists who dreamed of toppling Beijing's regime.
But the icy relations went into a fiery wok six months ago with the election of Ma Ying-jeou as Taiwan's president. The former Taipei mayor pledged to forge closer ties with China, where Taiwanese businesses have invested billions in recent years despite the political animosities.
However, Ma has promised not to begin unification talks during his four-year term. He understands that polls have long shown the majority of Taiwanese favor the status quo: no unification and no moves toward independence that could spark a war.
Ma has also assured the public he won't let Beijing bully the island into unifying.
"Taiwan's future will be decided by its 23 million people," Ma said Thursday before meeting with Chen.
Beijing seized on Ma's China-friendly policy, and the agreement Chen and his Taiwanese counterpart, Chiang Pin-kung, signed Tuesday marked a big leap forward in relations. The pact drastically increased air and shipping links, while providing measures for cooperation on food safety.
The two sides also agreed to hold high-level talks every six months, with the next round focusing on financial issues.
Business groups have applauded the closer ties because they believe Taiwan will have greater access to one of the world's fastest growing economies. Many of the street protesters, however, complained that Ma was getting ahead of public opinion and being too accommodating to China.
"Ma is sucking up to China by degrading Taiwan's sovereignty and this humiliates our country," said Ko Kai-liang, 40.
But Alexander Huang, political science professor at Taipei's Tamkang University, said the new agreement is significant and beneficial to Taiwan.
"The transport links will help ease political and military relations. Both sides will continue to modernize their defenses, but the chances for a military conflict will be significantly reduced," he said.
This would be good for the U.S., which has repeatedly warned Beijing it might defend Taiwan if China attacked. Washington's close ties with Taiwan and its weapons sales to the island have long irked Beijing.
On Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang rhetorically laid down a marker for President-elect Barack Obama. Qin told reporters in Beijing that Taiwan was the "most sensitive issue" in China's relations with America.
"We hope the U.S. will properly handle this issue ... so that our relations will develop in a sound and stable way," Qin said.
---
Associated Press writers Annie Huang and Debby Wu in Taipei and Gillian Wong in Beijing contributed to this report.
© 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy.
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大概快要走向一個中國了
美聯社評抗爭 台灣與中國 像不同星球
〔編譯魏國金／綜合報導〕中國海協會長陳雲林的台灣之行引發國際媒體關注，美聯社七日指出，伴隨陳雲林所到之處的激烈抗爭顯示，在社會與政治上，台灣與中國不僅像兩個獨立的國家，更像是不同的星球。
美聯社報導，陳雲林是一九四九年國共內戰以來，訪台層級最高的中國官員，而此行之所以備受矚目，乃因一年前，傾向獨立的前總統陳水扁執政時，根本不可能成行。
訪台期間，陳避談棘手政治議題，比如北京要求台灣必然與中國統一的立場不變，然而相關議題就是阻礙過去和談努力的原因，絕大多數的台灣人支持實質上獨立的現狀。
報導指出，雖然台灣政商要員熱中與陳雲林觥籌交錯，然而許多支持獨立的台灣人反對更靠攏中國，許多街頭抗議者抱怨台灣總統馬英九走在民意之前、太過通融中國，另有些人對大批警力部署台北感到憤怒，認為這個島嶼變得像是與中國一樣的警察國家。
ＣＮＮ：人民生氣了
華盛頓郵報報導，因陳雲林來訪而被激怒的台獨抗議人士上街頭發動示威，許多人認為馬英九接受陳雲林不稱呼他是「總統」，猶如投降。
ＣＮＮ的主播在報導馬陳會時表示，這是兩岸高階層的歷史性見面，不過獨立派人士也對馬英九總統急於與中國交往的政策不安，發動群眾上街頭抗議，表示人民生氣了。
兩手策略 中促美停止對台軍售
英國廣播公司新聞網網站也報導，在陳雲林訪台的同時，中國外交部六日卻向美國總統當選人歐巴瑪呼籲，要求他反對台獨，停止對台出售武器。
法新社報導，雖然台北與北京堅稱，所簽署的協議將為兩岸帶來可觀的經濟利益，然而抗爭者擔憂，台灣將流失大批的資金與工作機會，因為企業主都想利用中國廉價的勞工與資源。
法新社引述政治大學政治學教授童振源的論點指出：「台灣迅速與北京簽署協議，但許多台灣人感覺政府對北京讓步太多，這使馬政府在未來兩岸關係議題上，將更難與在野黨達成共識。」
路透：兩岸未來仍有許多障礙
路透也指出，當馬政府希望藉由分得中國興盛市場的一杯羹，以振興台灣經濟之際，他也面臨島內對中國政治不得妥協的壓力，對陳雲林如影隨形的抗議顯示，在兩岸追求友好的路程中，仍存在許多障礙。
印度主要英文報紙「印度快報」專欄作家阿里亞．阿蘭拉以「暫時和緩」為題指出，台灣要求主權，但北京拒絕，尤其北京二○○五年通過「反分裂國家法」，聲稱要以「非和平」手段保護領土完整，同時又沿台灣海峽部署上千枚飛彈和兩棲兵力。台灣與中國之間仍存在很深的不信任感。
美：樂見兩岸建設性對話
〔駐美特派員曹郁芬／華府六日報導〕美國國務院官員今天表示，美國樂見兩岸關係有正面發展，包括這次馬總統與陳雲林的會晤。至於台灣民眾發生的激烈抗議事件，國務院官員不願直接評論，僅表示美國期待兩岸人民透過建設性方式進行對話。
中國駐美大使周文重六日在美中政策基金會演說時，則提醒美國新政府未來要處理好台灣問題。他說，北京願與歐巴瑪政府合作，但新政府要審慎妥善處理台灣問題，因美中關係多次起伏都與台灣問題有關。
China envoy's Taiwan trip highlights differences
Nov 6, 8:42 PM EST
By WILLIAM FOREMAN
Associated Press Writer
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) -- He stepped off the plane with a mission: Make history by becoming the most senior Chinese official to visit Taiwan. Sign a landmark trade deal. Draw the wayward island closer to motherland China.
Chinese envoy Chen Yunlin did all those things during his trip that ended Friday. But his five-day visit also highlighted how - socially and politically - Taiwan and China are not merely like two separate countries. They are more like different planets.
While Chen hobnobbed with tycoons and officials on Taiwan's banquet circuit, he was mocked by comedians, cursed by rowdy street protesters and scrutinized by the island's aggressive media.
The press dubbed his Elvis-style pompadour hairdo "airplane head." A newspaper headline asked, "Who knows how much hair gel he uses?"
A popular chant by street protesters who dogged him was, "Chen Yunlin scram!" They unfurled a huge banner from a window at his hotel that called him a "Communist bandit." He was trapped in a banquet hall past midnight Wednesday by demonstrators who surrounded the venue and blocked traffic.
A nightly TV comedy show that features impersonations of political figures targeted him, too, with a comedian appearing as a stiff, poofy-haired Chen with two thuggish bodyguards at his side and mimicking the slow, stodgy way Chinese leaders speak.
Parody and protests are common in Taiwan's raucous democracy. They wouldn't be tolerated in Chen's communist police state back home, just 100 miles on the other side of the Taiwan Strait. The nation's top leaders must be respected - by everyone.
Despite the insults and mockery, Chen declared his trip a success as he ended his visit Friday. But he cautioned that the rivals had a long road to travel toward better relations.
"We have successfully accomplished this memorable voyage," he said. "We have completed the mission that people across the strait have long desired and have handed over to us."
But in a possible dig at the protesters, Chen assured the Taiwanese that if they visit China, they will see "harmony everywhere."
"We believe the future road is long but we will shoulder it and face up to this and that difficulty," he said.
Chen's Taiwanese counterpart, Chiang Pin-kung, also declared that the trip was successful, saying Taiwanese "will continue to strive for our ultimate goal of peace across the strait and a win-win economic situation."
Chen's visit was remarkable because it would have been virtually impossible a year ago.
That's when Taiwan had a president, Chen Shui-bian, who was despised by Beijing because he favored permanent independence. The two sides split amid civil war in 1949, and China says Taiwan has two choices: eventual unification or war.
Communist leaders refused to talk to Chen during his eight years in office, and they never sat down with the previous Taiwan-based presidents, who were staunch anti-Communists who dreamed of toppling Beijing's regime.
But the icy relations went into a fiery wok six months ago with the election of Ma Ying-jeou as Taiwan's president. The former Taipei mayor pledged to forge closer ties with China, where Taiwanese businesses have invested billions in recent years despite the political animosities.
However, Ma has promised not to begin unification talks during his four-year term. He understands that polls have long shown the majority of Taiwanese favor the status quo: no unification and no moves toward independence that could spark a war.
Ma has also assured the public he won't let Beijing bully the island into unifying.
"Taiwan's future will be decided by its 23 million people," Ma said Thursday before meeting with Chen.
Beijing seized on Ma's China-friendly policy, and the agreement Chen and his Taiwanese counterpart, Chiang Pin-kung, signed Tuesday marked a big leap forward in relations. The pact drastically increased air and shipping links, while providing measures for cooperation on food safety.
The two sides also agreed to hold high-level talks every six months, with the next round focusing on financial issues.
Business groups have applauded the closer ties because they believe Taiwan will have greater access to one of the world's fastest growing economies. Many of the street protesters, however, complained that Ma was getting ahead of public opinion and being too accommodating to China.
"Ma is sucking up to China by degrading Taiwan's sovereignty and this humiliates our country," said Ko Kai-liang, 40.
But Alexander Huang, political science professor at Taipei's Tamkang University, said the new agreement is significant and beneficial to Taiwan.
"The transport links will help ease political and military relations. Both sides will continue to modernize their defenses, but the chances for a military conflict will be significantly reduced," he said.
This would be good for the U.S., which has repeatedly warned Beijing it might defend Taiwan if China attacked. Washington's close ties with Taiwan and its weapons sales to the island have long irked Beijing.
On Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang rhetorically laid down a marker for President-elect Barack Obama. Qin told reporters in Beijing that Taiwan was the "most sensitive issue" in China's relations with America.
"We hope the U.S. will properly handle this issue ... so that our relations will develop in a sound and stable way," Qin said.
---
Associated Press writers Annie Huang and Debby Wu in Taipei and Gillian Wong in Beijing contributed to this report.
© 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy.
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大概快要走向一個中國了
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