Taiwan business leader calls for peace law with China

Nov 12, 2007, 5:32 GMT

Taipei - A Taiwan business leader on Monday urged the ruling party and opposition presidential candidates to sign a peace law to end five decades of hostility between Taiwan and China.

In a half-page ad in three newspapers, Robert Tsao, chairman of the United Microelectronics Corp (UMC), the world's second-largest chipmaker, urged DPP presidential candidate Frank Hsieh and KMT presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou to sign the Peaceful Co-existence Bill after they have won the presidential election on March 22, 2008.

Tsao said that for Taiwan's peace and prosperity, the future leader of Taiwan should sign the Peaceful Co-Existence Bill to formally end hostility with China.

China, in turn, should grant Taiwan a high degree of autonomy, he said.

Tsao said Taiwan should scrap the referendum on joining the United Nations - planned for March 22, 2008 - which has irked China, and can hold a unification referendum instead, if Beijing makes the request.

Tsao's ad is the latest call for improving ties with China from Taiwan business leaders who blame strained cross-Strait ties for the deterioration of Taiwan's economy.

In response to Tsao's proposal, opposition presidential candidate Ma said he will launch peace talks with China to seek to sign a peace pact.

'But the pre-condition for the talks is that China must first remove the missiles targeting Taiwan,' Ma said.

China has deployed nearly 800 missiles on its south-east coast facing Taiwan.

Then the peace talks will fail. There should never be any pre conditions to negotiations.

Why not? All the time, China insists that negotiations must be based off of Taiwan accepting "One China" before the talks can start.

That's fine, move the missiles away. It doesn't mean that the PRC promises it won't invade.

Then the peace talks will fail. There should never be any pre conditions to negotiations.

Or let's put it this way, is it reasonable to expect someone to negotiate when you're putting him at gunpoint?

China and US does it all the time. .

And stop being a drama queen. A few missiles won't sink Taiwan.

When?

China's 900+ Dong Feng missiles are widely seen as the opening blow in a Taiwan invasion scenario. Take away these missiles, and the threat of PLA attack is greatly diminished in effectiveness.

What do you mean when? the US constantly has forward forces on standby against China. Does this stop China and US from having a mutual beneficial relationship? no.

Then don't give the PRC an excuse to invade...

Or let's put it this way, is it reasonable to expect someone to negotiate when you're putting him at gunpoint?

Your view of China is consistent with people who know nothing about China (or have been to China).

Those Taiwanese who have been to China?

Well, there are a few millions of them, and they are happily doing business and making money in China.

China and the USA aren’t conducting peace talks or possible frameworks for reunification.

The PRC needs no excuse to invade. The threat of invasion has always been there no matter what Taiwan’s stance.

Never been to China? I don’t know if you were reading in the other thread, but I mentioned â€â€œ twice â€â€œ that I have been to China many times before, to Fujian, Beijing, inner Mongolia and other places.

Really, based on your postings (and I have been reading quit a few now), I can bet that you have never been to China.

What is "someone who has been to China" supposed to look like, in your opinion? Someone who can't stop praising the merits of Taiwan-China reunification, or someone who strongly supports the CCP, or what? You seem to be someone given to quick stereotyping.

Your profile does not fit for someone who has any personal knowledge of China.

Your stereotyping amazes me more and more. You think that everyone who's been to China fits the same profile? Do you think everyone who's been to the USA fits the same profile?

Actually, my profile does fit - someone who has personal knowledge of China can have a wide variety of opinions. The problem is you, who think that "everyone who's been to China must fit into the same mold and think exactly the same way and say exactly the same things."

Your profile is consisted what you said or do over a period of time. It actually tells people a lot about you.

Your knowledge of China is limited because you have no experience or personal knowledge of China. You might know a lot of facts about China, but your knowledge of China, a placed that you have never visited, it still limited to what you read or heard.

Your knowledge of China is limited because you have no experience or personal knowledge of China. You might know a lot of facts about China, but your knowledge of China, a placed that you have never visited, it still limited to what you read or heard.

So someone told you about the $hitholes. But let me tell you a little secret. $hitholes are no longer used in China, unless you go to a remote village in the mountains

Man, you are cracking me up. When did you visit China? In the 70s? No, you are not that old.

So someone told you about the $hitholes. But let me tell you a little secret. $hitholes are no longer used in China, unless you go to a remote village in the mountains. Chinese cities today make Taipei look like a second or third rated city.

Talk to one of your Taiwanese friends who have been in China or live in China. They will tell you what China is really like.

Your view of China is not different from my view of Iran. They are not coming from personal experience, and you know it.

So I've been to remote villages. And there were $hitholes. So? Nothing's being contradicted.
Who’s been to China and who hasn’t? Are you telling me that I’m wrong factually, when I’ve been there by experience and know for myself? Look, I might have to be the one asking you if you’ve ever been to China, not you asking me.
Have you ever been to China? Give me a break.

That is funny. China is such a fasincating place. Take Beijing for example. You have the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, The Tiananmen Square, the Ming Tomb, Beijing Musems, the Beihai Park, the University district,.... I can go on and on. It was the capital of so many great Chinese dynasties.

I have yet to hear you describe what your "profile of someone who has not been to China" looks like.