Keeping Ahead of Events: Ma Ying-jeou Discusses Taiwan's Reaction

Q: Quite a few pro-democracy movement figures who have come here have felt that Taiwan, especially in the private sector, is thoroughly apathetic about supporting the overseas pro-democracy movement. Do you agree with their assessment?

A: That view would entail a major misunderstanding, I'm afraid, and I can cite some examples. Before June 4, our support for the mainland pro-democracy movement reached several high points, such as the human chain formed by more than a million people between Keelung and Kaohsiung on May 31. On the day of June 4, the Kuomintang held a plenary meeting on Yang-mingshan, and John C.I. Li, director general of the Industrial Development and Investment Center in the Ministry of Economic Affairs, initiated a fund-raising campaign that collected US$2 or $3 million in just two days and to which I myself, although my income is not large, contributed US$10,000. Those donations, combined with funds contributed subsequently by people from all walks of life, added up to more than US$6 million, which is being put to a wide range of uses overseas right now. Taiwan can be said to be the area that has donated the most money among the worldwide Chinese community.

In addition, during the June 4th period, the people of Taiwan donated more than a million cc of blood and the medical community formed medical aid teams for the benefit of pro-democracy activists in Tienanmen Square. Unfortunately it turned out there was no way to deliver these things to the mainland because the Chinese Communists looked on the pro-democracy movement as a "counterrevolutionary uprising."

Overseas, the government issued passports to leaders of the pro-democracy movement and to overseas mainland students who had taken part in the movement and were in imminent danger of being sent back, as well as working through private organizations to afford priority assistance to those experiencing hardship with their livelihoods. These and similar actions all serve to prove Taiwan's support of the mainland prodemocracy movement.

Of course, what we have to ask ourselves is why the pro-democracy movement figures feel as they do. I believe the cause is inadequate reporting by the media. During the June 4th period, the international media concentrated nearly all their energy on the mainland and had practically nothing to spare for Taiwan. They were either completely unaware of Taiwan's reaction, or they distorted it.

In fact, many reporters with the international media who withdrew to Taiwan from Peking after June 4 admitted, after visiting the island it person, that Taiwan's support for the pro-democracy movement had indeed been underreported. Actually I think there has never been a period since 1949 when Taiwan has been as concerned about the mainland as it is now. Around the time of June 4, in particular, everyone was fired up by reports in the media, and young people who have grown up on Taiwan and have no direct blood ties with the mainland, which is especially significant, were precisely the ones who were donating money and giving blood.

Q: Pro-democracy figures are seeking help, some people say, but can't find an appropriate channel, while people who want to help can't find one either.

A: There are channels, certainly. I believe that support for pro-democracy figures, especially monetary support, must be carried out by the private sector, because in that way the donors feel a sense of accomplishment and the recipients don't feel psychologically burdened. If it's done through the government, then the recipient not only feels a burden, but each sum has to be approved by the Legislative Yuan and reviewed by the Control Yuan, with an itemized accounting of each outlay, which is time-consuming and not to the purpose. I don't think that expenses in support of the pro-democracy movement are appropriate as outlays for the government budget. What's more, the private sector on Taiwan certainly has more than enough economic strength to support the pro-democracy movement.

Of course, we also have to ask the prodemocracy figures what else can be done besides raising money. The Federation for a Democratic China has set up several branches overseas, and states its main goal as influencing the mainland so that it moves toward democracy. What I want to make clear is that support for the pro-democracy movement is absolutely a consistent policy of the R.O.C. government, but we also want to ask how pro-democracy figures expect to go about influencing the mainland and what concrete steps they propose. Because the main battlefield of the pro-democracy movement does, after all, lie on the mainland.

Q: Won't the government's support for the pro-democracy movement set off denunciations by the Chinese Communists? What is the government's standpoint about that?

A: The Chinese Communists denounce us too much anyway! If we were afraid to do things because of their denunciations, then there'd be no use in our doing anything. All I can say is, the government does what it should. As for denunciations by the Communists, we take note of them but we don't care about them.

Q: What else can Taiwan do to support the pro-democracy movement?

A: The most important thing is to be able to discuss problems and exchange experiences face-to-face, so that when prodemocracy figures hold activities in various places we can participate and coordinate with them and show our concern about the future of China together.

In addition, we hope there can be study at to how much the experience of development on Taiwan can help the mainland and in what ways. Taiwan has gone through forty years of experiment in the democratization process, and has achieved certain results, not all of them good necessarily, but there's a clear record, which should have a "certain value for reference. I think that promoting democracy on the mainland it the common consensus of us all and a goal that we need to work together toward to achieve.

[Picture Caption]

Ma Ying-jeou, executive secretary of the Mainland Affairs Council and chairman of the Research, Development, and Evaluation Commission, has been involved in mainland policy for a long time. His biggest impression of the work is-- being busy.

The handling of the process by which pro-democracy movement figure Chang Kang was brought to Taiwan provoked widespread discussion.

The concert held in Taipei on June 3 to support the protesters in Tienanmen Square remains a vivid memory for many people today. (photo by Wen Chin Yang)

What can the pro-democracy figures do besides raising funds? And how can they influence China? These questions are a focus of attention for everyone. (photo by Huang Lili)

Is the public on Taiwan apathetic? Ma Ying-jeou believes that criticism to be mistaken.

Taiwan, in the past forty years, has never felt as close to the mainland as it does now. Especially when young people are considered, the fact is of great significance.

How can we help the pro-democracy movement? The most important way, Ma believes, is being able to discuss problems and exchange experiences face to face.

The handling of the process by which pro-democracy movement figure Chang Kang was brought to Taiwan provoked widespread discussion.

The concert held in Taipei on June 3 to support the protesters in Tienanmen Square remains a vivid memory for many people today. （photo by Wen Chin Yang）

Is the public on Taiwan apathetic? Ma Ying-jeou believes that criticism to be mistaken.

What can the pro-democracy figures do besides raising funds? And how can they influence China? These questions are a focus of attention for everyone. （photo by Huang Lili）

Taiwan, in the past forty years, has never felt as close to the mainland as it does now. Especially when young people are considered, the fact is of great significance.

How can we help the pro-democracy movement? The most important way, Ma believes, is being able to discuss problems and exchange experiences face to face.