YU CHENGYU
DANDONG, Sep. 6
http://www.upiasiaonline.com
It is more than half a year before Chinese Taiwan holds its "presidential election," but the candidates of the Democratic Progressive Party and the Kuomintang are already competing on the public stage. DPP candidate Frank Hsieh and KMT candidate Ma Ying-jeou frequently appear on public occasions to promote their platforms on how to govern Taiwan, deal with cross-strait relations and ensure the well-being and prosperity of the populace.
The two have to respond to questions from the people. In addition, they reveal each other's shortcomings and try by all means to boost their popularity with the public. This vigorous campaign style reveals that the people truly possess the right to select their political leaders, who are in reality public servants.
In mainland China, it is also transition time for the high-level leadership of the Chinese Communist Party. The Party's 17th National Congress will open in Beijing on Oct. 15, during which a new Standing Committee will be formed. However, such details as the number of committee members, who is leaving and who is joining, are unknown to ordinary Party members, let alone the general public. The candidates' names remain a secret.
The public can do nothing more than ask and spread rumors about who will leave and who will stay on the powerful Standing Committee. The only thing the public knows is that, in a long list of items published as the Party's "guiding ideology," there is one new idea included -- General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Hu Jintao has proposed that the Party adopt a "scientific outlook on development."
At one time, a powerful figure in mainland China described Taiwanese democracy as a "farce." Now, someone else in mainland China says that the politicians in Taiwan are not practicing democracy but playing tricks on the public.
However, what would most mainland Chinese people choose -- if they had a choice -- between the mainland style of keeping everything secret and Taiwan's style of "playing tricks on the public"? I am not sure what the rest of the people would say, but I myself do not prefer the former.
What makes the Chinese people sigh is that apologists for China, in discussing controversial issues, always explain the "national situation" or describe it as being unique because of "Chinese characteristics." Why cannot they apply this theory to the difference between the selection of leaders in the mainland and Taiwan?
Isn't it true that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one China? If so, both should share the same "national situation." Nevertheless, the small Taiwan enjoys its vigorous election campaign, while the great mainland continues its practice of keeping secrets. Those who advocate one "national situation" and justify it by saying it represents "Chinese characteristics" should be ashamed about this.
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(Yu Chengyu is a retired scholar and former teacher of Marxist theory. He is a former vice principle of the Party School of Fengcheng County in Liaoning province, and former director of the Philosophy Academy of Dandong city. This article is edited and translated from the Chinese by UPI Asia Online; the original can be found at www.ncn.org. ©Copyright Yu Chengyu.)
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