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Commentary: Chen Shui-bian fears pandas
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-04-04 17:07
While people all over the world love giant pandas, Taiwan leader Chen
Shui-bian is determined to keep them out of the island.
Under Chen's
direction, Taiwan's "Council of Agriculture" reached a decision on March 31 that
Taiwan would not accept the two giant pandas donated by the Chinese mainland as
goodwill gifts, saying the natural environment in Taiwan doesn't suit pandas.
Two pandas play at
the China Giant Panda Research Centre in Wolong, Southwest China's Sichuan
Province in this undated
photo. [Xinhua] |
Chen's fear of the two
lovely giant pandas is understandable. The pandas will further boost affinity
and harmony across the Taiwan Straits, which is good for people and regional
peace but unfavorable to Chen's efforts to promote "Taiwan independence".
His fear, however, is not justified.
Animal experts in Taiwan
quickly pointed out that Taiwan is well capable of supporting the giant pandas
because Taipei has one of the best zoos in the world.
Giant pandas live
in two kinds of environment. There are more than 1,800 giant pandas living in
the wild and more than 180 live in captivity on the Chinese mainland.
The mainland has donated more than 20 giant pandas to foreign countries,
including the United States and Japan, all of which are faring well.
Taiwan people have shown strong desire to see the pandas on the island.
Two zoos in Taiwan have applied to house the two animals.
KMT spokesman
Chang Jung-kung said Taiwan authorities' rejection of the animals meant "they
are obstructing peaceful coexistence and harmonious exchanges of two sides of
the Taiwan Straits from a narrow ideological perspective".
Taiwan
authorities have shown the same mentality in obstructing sale of Taiwan fruits
to the mainland and the entry of mainland tourists, which will benefit Taiwan
farmers and the tourism sector on the island.
Such mentality also guided
Taiwan authorities' decision to forbid mainland film actor Zhang Guoli to enter
Taiwan and forbid mainland pop singer Li Yuchun to speak to the press during her
performing tour in Taiwan.
In sharp contrast, the mainland allows free
entry of Taiwan show business personnel and allows them to speak to the press
freely.
Cross-Straits relations have kept growing despite obstructive
efforts of Taiwan authorities.
According to statistics of China's
Ministry of Commerce, the Chinese mainland had approved a total of 68,095
projects funded by businesspeople from Taiwan by the end of 2005, with a
contractual investment of 89.7 billion U.S. dollars from Taiwan. Indirect
cross-Straits trade volume hit 495.81 billion dollars by the end of 2005,
including 414.08 billion dollars of Taiwan export to the mainland. As a result,
the mainland is Taiwan's No. 1 export market and largest source of trade
surplus.
Boosting harmony and affinity across the Taiwan Straits is a
tendency supported by compatriots and conforms with universal law. Wise and
responsible politicians should push forward rather than obstruct this trend, no
matter what his previous platform was.
Even Chen Shui-bian himself
acknowledges "Taiwan independence" is a dead-end alley. So why not conform to
the general trend of the times and people's wishes then?
Chen should
stop treating affinity between compatriots as a thorn in his flesh. His current
position will not only cost him his political life, but also endanger peace in
the region.
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