wfn.org | TCN: PCT launches personal petitions to President Obama on behalf of Taiwan

["Taiwan Church News" <enews@pctpress.org>]

>      Taiwan Church News

>3001 Edition

>August 31~September 6, 2009

PCT launches personal petitions to President Obama on behalf of  Taiwan

>Reported by Lin Yi-ying

>Written by Lydia Ma

As US President Barack Obama gets ready to meet with Chinese  President Hu

Jintao, the main concern among Presbyterian Church in Taiwan (PCT)  leaders is

whether Taiwan’s security and interests will be compromised.  That is why PCT

has urged all Taiwanese to write a petition to Obama to make their  sentiments

known. As of end of August, PCT headquarters has received more  than 600

letters to be forwarded to Obama and countless letters have  already been sent

>electronically to the White House as well.

PCT already issued an open letter to President Obama on July 17th,  but followed

up by urging Taiwanese people to write a letter to Obama  themselves as well to

make known Taiwanese people’s quest for democracy and freedom  before talks

with Chinese leaders begin. This encouragement soon became a  movement and

in less than one-and-a-half months, PCT received more than 600  letters, while

countless more were sent directly to the White House via email.

PCT General Secretary Andrew Chang wholeheartedly supports this  movement

and feels it’s by citizens publicly voicing their concerns  that Taiwan must not

become a bargaining chip during negotiations between two  international

superpowers that Taiwanese can stop China from infringing on  Taiwan’s

>sovereignty.

Chang also urged Chinese leaders to credit Taiwanese  businessmen’s

investments in China for playing a major role in China’s  rapid economic

development, and reminded them that invading Taiwan would be  tantamount to

killing the goose that lays the golden egg. He added that China  and Taiwan can

strive toward unity in matters related to God’s kingdom, but  must respect each

other’s national sovereignty in this earthly kingdom.

PCT Ecumenical and International Committee Secretary Hu Hong-chi  reported

many overseas Taiwanese churches and organizations had also  participated in

this letter-writing movement because Taiwanese living abroad also  felt

compelled to urge Obama to refrain from betraying Taiwan in  exchange for trade

>and political benefits from China.

According to Hu, even Japan, South Korea, and other Southeast  Asian countries

are wary of what might transpire from China-US talks at the end of  the year

because they are worried regional peace and security might be  compromised.

In other news, PCT announced it had received an open letter from  Presbyterian

Church in the Republic of Korea (PROK) detailing the deteriorating  state of

human rights in South Korea since Lee Myung-bak became President  of South

>Korea in 2008.

PCT General Secretary Andrew Chang said he regretted to hear that  Lee, an

elder of a Presbyterian Church in Seoul, had become so enamored  with power

that he no longer followed Biblical teachings and democratic  ideals. Lee’s

actions have angered many Koreans and made their lives miserable.  As a

member of WCC, PCT would do whatever necessary to support PROK and

would write to Lee as well. Chang also urged fellow PCT members to  remember

>South Korea in their prayers.

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