Are you Helping or Harming Us?
──The Serious Question to You American Politicians
你們是在幫我們還是害我們？──對美國政客嚴肅的提問
“Are you helping or harming us?” This is my serious question to you American politicians, including those in the Trump administration and in the Congress. As the spokesperson for the New Party, one of Taiwan’s political parties, and also a young man who has lived in Taiwan for more than 32 years since my birth, I should tell you that the answer decides our future without doubt. In other words, the very fact I must confirm is whether you support Taiwan independence instead of the One-China policy or just deploy Taiwan as your pawn to bargain with Beijing. To be honest, as you always take it for granted to sacrifice others for your benefits, it is quite important for us to make sure in advance.
「你們是在幫我們還是害我們？」這是我對你們美國包括川普政府及國會政客的嚴肅提問。身為台灣新黨發言人，同時也是在台灣從小到大超過三十二年的年輕人，我必須告訴你們，這個問題的答案將直接決定我的未來。換言之，我得先釐清一個事實：到底你們是支持台灣走向獨立，或者只是將台灣拿來作為你們與北京議價的籌碼？老實說，因為你們總是習慣犧牲他人成全自己，我必須先確認你們的意圖。
As we all know, the US Congress usually tends to challenge China’s sovereignty over Taiwan because of the impact of the military-industrial complex and the lobbies hired by the Taiwan government. The Taiwan Travel Act and the TAIPEI Act are the late instances. However, without the administration’s implementation, these are only lip service. Thus, the administration’s attitude is crucial indeed. So, let’s see the Department of State. As Secretary Pompeo stated last March, the US is now using every tool in its tool kit to prevent China from isolating Taiwan through diplomatic channels. This year, after shifting blames for its neglect of the pandemic prevention by attacking China and the WHO, the Department of State recently expressed support for Taiwan’s participation in the WHA. The above really triggered my curiosity: The establishment of the US-Taiwan formal diplomatic relations is just the most useful tool, isn’t it? Why does the US not use that? Besides, since Taiwan should become a formal member of the UN before entering the WHO, why does the US not recognize Taiwan as a sovereign state or the ROC government in Taiwan as the only legal government of China instead of the PRC?
眾所皆知，受到軍工複合體及台灣官方雇用的說客影響，美國國會向來傾向挑戰中國對台灣的主權，最近通過的「台灣旅遊法」及「台北法案」都是如此。然而，沒有行政部門的實施，這些都只是口惠而已。行政部門的態度無疑才是關鍵。以美國國務院的表現來看，國務卿蓬佩奧確實在去年三月就說，美國會使用一切工具箱內的工具「防止中國孤立台灣」。今年以來，在藉由攻擊中國及世衛組織推卸防疫不力的責任後，國務院更表達對台灣加入世衛大會的支持。以上種種讓我不禁好奇：美國自己與台灣建立正式邦交，不就是防止所謂「中國孤立台灣」最好的「工具」？你們為什麼不幹？既然台灣必須在加入世衛組織前先成為聯合國的正式成員，你們為什麼不承認台灣是主權獨立國家，或者承認「中華民國」取代「中華人民共和國」政府代表中國？
The answer to my question seems that your real intention is not to support Taiwan’s real independence but only to trouble Beijing. Just as Pompeo said at a congressional hearing, the Trump administration’s way of viewing the US-Taiwan relations can consider the threat of China’s rise more than the predecessors, which reveals that Taiwan is only a chess piece for Washington to play with Beijing. Furthermore, since the US has no will to have Taiwan as a formal ally, Taiwan is just a pawn you can sacrifice anytime. Consequently, Taiwan must suffer the worsening of cross-strait relations at our own cost while the US just plays Taiwan to bargain with Beijing for your own interests. The outcome is so predictable that Taiwan should go through a depression for its large economic dependence on mainland China which you are unable and unwilling to make up. Besides, we should even consider the most serious situation that a war occurs in the Taiwan Strait. The scenario of Taiwan military is holding on alone within two to three weeks in order to wait for the US military aid. Nevertheless, as the former AIT chairman Richard Bush said, the implied commitment of the US to come to Taiwan’s defense has never be absolute. In other words, we should risk engaging a war with Beijing resulted from your dangerous game, sacrificing our lives for your lies.
你們不幹的理由似乎就是：你們根本沒要支持台灣獨立，而只是拿台灣來給北京出難題。正如蓬佩奧在一場國會聽證會上所說，川普政府看待台美關係的方式，比起過去歷任領導人更能考慮中國崛起對美國的威脅。這句話其實已經透露，台灣只是你們拿來與北京博弈的棋子。當你們從未有心要與台灣正式結盟，台灣也就只是隨時可以拋棄的小卒。如此一來，當你們可以利用台灣獲取你們的利益，台灣卻要自己承擔兩岸關係惡化的代價。後果其實也可預期，那就是以台灣對大陸經濟依賴之深，我們必然要遭受景氣的大蕭條，而這些虧損是你們無力也無意填補的。此外，我們還得考慮最壞的情況，那就是台海爆發戰爭。根據台灣軍方的劇本，我們要自己先撐兩到三個禮拜，然後就要靠你們馳援。然而，前美國在台協會主席卜睿哲已經告訴我們，美國馳援台灣的暗示性承諾從來不能打準。因此，我們等於要為了你們的危險遊戲，冒上與大陸開戰的風險，以我們的生命換來你們的謊言。
As I already told you earlier, the real threat to the US is not China’s rise but the loss of your self-confidence. Moreover, you have weakened the stability across the Taiwan Strait by inciting Taiwan to deny the 1992 consensus and intervening in Taiwan’s campaign last year, which destroys the status quo and your interests indeed. Certainly, as what Secretary Pompeo has told us, “We lied, we cheated, we stole,” how can we bet our future on the US “glory” of lying, cheating, and stealing? In fact, as you once betrayed us in 1978 even though the ROC government in Taiwan and your government was formal alliance then, it is much easier for you today to abandon us when the deal has been done.
正如我之前已經說的，美國面臨的真正威脅不是中國的崛起，而是你們自信的喪失。更有甚者，透過煽動台灣否定九二共識及介入台灣去年的大選，你們已挑起了台海的緊張，既破壞現狀同時也傷害你們的利益。我們更記得蓬佩奧昭告世人的：「我們說謊，我們詐欺，我們偷竊。」這要我們如何敢將自己的未來，押寶在說謊、詐欺、偷竊的「美國之光」？事實上，你們早在1978年就曾背叛我們，當時中華民國政府尚且與你們是正式的同盟，如今只要你們交易完成，隨時都可以出賣我們。
In conclusion, as your government declared plainly in the U.S.-PRC Joint Communique (1972), the US had its interests in a peaceful settlement of the Taiwan question by the Chinese themselves. Accordingly, since you are not willing to recognize either Taiwan as an independent state or the ROC as the legal government of China, we have no choice but to deal with the question of reunification with Beijing by the Chinese ourselves. Helping instead of harming us, you could stop intervening in the Taiwan question, otherwise it will only strengthen the risk across the Taiwan Strait and put us in jeopardy. Thank you if you release your hands.
總言之，正如你們在美國與中華人民共和國政府1972年的聯合公報中所言，美國關注的利益在於台灣問題由中國人自己以和平方式解決。因此，既然你們無意承認台灣獨立，同時也不願承認中華民國政府代表中國，我們別無選擇，只有與北京一起處理，由我們中國人自己解決統一的問題。如果你們真要幫我們而非害我們，就請停止干預台灣問題，否則只會更加劇台海情勢的緊張，置我們於危險境地。就請你們高抬貴手，在此先謝過了！
