wfn.org | Taiwan - Do Not Fear, Advance with Courage

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Taiwan Church News 2632, August 11, 2002
Reported by Lin Yi-shin.
Translated and rewritten by David Alexander.

    Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian, speaking by video
hookup to the 29th Annual Meeting of the World Federation
of Taiwanese Associations, which was meeting in Japan on
August 3rd, said "There is one country on either side of the
Taiwan Straits."  Responses were swift and not all positive.
Leaders of Taiwan's opposition political parties were in
harmony with the government of China, which verbally
attacked the president and his position.
    The Moderator of the 48th General Assembly of the
Presbyterian Church in Taiwan (PCT), Rev. Wang Kwang-su,
and the General Secretary, William J. K. Lo did not join
that chorus. Instead they said, "Do not fear! God will protect
Taiwan."  The moderator added, "We must not allow the
opposition parties' and the Chinese government's strong
attacks to leave President Chen feeling isolated." Rev. Lo
called for Taiwan's government neither to retreat nor to
provide "soft soil easily penetrated" by China's government
to oppress Taiwan's people.
    The president's comments were strong and direct.  Besides
his "two sides, two nations" assertion, he said, "Our country
cannot be bullied, dwarfed or marginalized, and we are not
a part or a province of another country. We cannot become
the second Hong Kong or Macao because we are an
independent sovereign country."  The future of this nation,
according to Mr. Chen, is a matter for the 23 million citizens
of Taiwan to decide.  He proposed amending Taiwan's
constitution to allow for a popular referendum on the nation's
future relationship to China.
    Response from China was negative.  Official spokesmen
mentioned opposition to the division of "China's the national
territory" and disagreement with allowing the people of
Taiwan to decide the matter.
    Moderator Wang of the PCT estimates that many clergy
might be angered by the statements emanating form China,
and that the majority of Taiwan's people stand with President
Chen on the question. He said, "President Chen has spoken
the truth," and added his opinion that the attitude taken by
China's government was "the guilty conscience of a thief,"
because even they know that "Taiwan is a self determining
sovereign state not belonging to China."
    General Secretary Lo offered the opinion that conducting
a vote by the people of Taiwan on this nation's future was
the most respectful and just way to proceed.
    Rev. Wang urged church members to take their direction
from the hymn, "Lord, While for All Humankind We Pray"
(#430 in the PCT hymnal) as they fortify their faith.  The
hymn's lyrics are a prayer for the world and the homeland.
Mr. Wang asks believers to pray that Taiwan can truly
become a new and independent nation and never have to
surrender to outside pressure and threats.

For More Information:
      Wang Kwang-su  andy7129@ms17.hinet.net
      William J. K. Lo  wmlo@ms2.pct.org.tw

Taiwan Church News is published weekly in Chinese.
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