Taiwan's date with destiny is today

[dArKeR]

By Li Thian-hok ???

Saturday, Mar 20, 2004,Page 8

The vernal equinox, the first day of spring, falls on March 20 this year. The vernal equinox of this year will be the day of Taiwan's destiny. Today's election will decide not just who will be the president, or whether the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) or the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT)-People First Party (PFP) alliance will rule the next four years, the outcome will also determine Taiwan's destiny.

After enduring nearly four decades of White Terror under martial law, Taiwan finally evolved into a democracy in the late 1980s. Many factors contributed to this development. The US recognized the PRC and cut off diplomatic relations with the Republic of China (ROC) on Taiwan in 1979. Taiwan became increasingly isolated from the international community. With industrialization, native Taiwanese began to gain wealth and leverage over the government. The lower ranks of the military and bureaucracy and even the KMT itself were increasingly filled with native Taiwanese. The US government, particularly the Congress, became critical of the authoritarian practices of the KMT government, such as the violation of civil rights as exhibited in the persecution of the "Kaohsiung Eight."

When the tang wai (outside the party) movement of political dissidents, which demanded a right to participate in the political process, became irresistible, then-president Chiang Ching-kuo (???) reluctantly acquiesced in the emergence of the DPP political opposition.

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