TAIWAN – THE LAST DOMINO (356)
ABC Australia
14 mins 50 secs
Taiwanese military exercises Colgan: From this smoking hillside on its south coast, Taiwan is sending a clear signal to right across the Taiwan strait, to China.
FX: Gunfire
Army personnel watch military exercises Colgan: A provocative warning that Taiwan has no intention of being the next domino to fall. That unlike Hong King, Taiwan will not accept communist rule without a fight.
FX: Gunfire
Map Taiwan Music
Incense burning at temple Colgan: These people are renegades. (01.08)
Residents of a rebel territory that belongs to mainland China – or so China would have us believe.
The people of Taiwan live in a fragile state of de facto independence. Neither able to declare their independence, nor willing to succumb to China’s communist regime.
Launch of Formosa TV Tonight, in the southern city of Gaoshung, the voice of independence will be beamed to TV sets around the country. It’s the launch of Formosa TV, a new non-government station.
In a show of goodwill and media savvy, Taiwan’s president, Lee Teng Hui, is making an appearance – standing alongside FTV’s chief, who also happens to be a member of Taiwan’s main opposition party – the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party.
Taiwan’s president has drawn a barrage of fire from mainland China, which accuses him of being a closet pro-independence man.
President Lee: while we’ve all enjoyed the rich resource of television we appreciate the democratic achievements we’ve made and continue to pursue and even stronger democratic foundation. The public represent the new ideas of the age of democracy.
President Lee at podium Colgan: His appearance here tonight will fuel such speculation. Especially given the man by his side has been harnessing anti-China sentiment in Taiwan in the lead up to the Hong Kong hand over.
Dr Chai jogging Dr Chai: The people of Taiwan want to remain independent, as it is now. They don’t want China to come to take over Taiwan. We have developed our own political, social, religious systems, and our own way of life. So we don’t like China to come to destroy our way of life and our existing system.
Colgan: Thirty years in the United States gave Trong Chai a taste for jogging, and freedom. He wants to see Taiwan steer its own path.
Colgan with Dr. Chai at TV Station To deliver the message, he set up Formosa TV, a combination of this 24 hour cable news service, and a general news and programming channel. They proudly broadcast prime time news in the local Taiwanese language.
Dr. Chai interview Dr Chai: I don’t want to say that our TV station is pro-independence. But to say our TV station will work for the interests of Taiwan, and for the people of Taiwan. So if the people from Taiwan don’t like China to come to take over Taiwan, that will be our position.
Newsreader at TV station Colgan: while the chairman wouldn’t spell out the station’s pro-independence platform, behind the scenes, a senior station manager told me bluntly, that was station policy.
Man with Megaphone Colgan: But his TV station is not the only way Dr. Chai has garnered pro-Taiwan sentiment. He’s also behind the anti-China movement, so vocal in the lead up to the hand over.
Megaphone on street Megaphone: This kind of dictatorship government without any sense of human rights, says it’s coming to control us. Everybody sign up to say “no to China.” We hope you’ll join us.
Interview with female The Chinese government in the past has always promised that they will not, they will not use force against other Chinese people, and yet when you look at what they did in Tiananmen square it certainly raises a lot of concerns about if they treat their own citizens like that, how will they treat the people of Taiwan?
Colgan: Shamelessly cashing in on the foreign media contingent in Hong Kong, the ‘say no to China movement’ deliberately staged its protests to draw journalists to Taiwan in the lead up to the handover.
Dr. Chai interview Dr. Chai: No, no, we are not going to celebrate. That would not be
Super: fair to the people of Hong Kong.
Dr. TRONG CHAI
FTV Chairperson
Colgan: Why?
Dr. Chai: Why? Because I say, I’m sorry to see that they will live under a communist regime. Because democracy is a way of life. And they have lived this kind of life for one or two centuries. Okay, now they have to live under a totalitarian system, a communist system. And so that will be a big change for the people of Hong Kong. So that’s why I feel sorry for them.
Dragon Festival Music
Colgan: the relationship has always been complicated. Taiwan and China are irresistibly tied by race and a strong interdependence on each other’s economies. Neither wants to sever those ties. But Taiwan doesn’t want to lose its political and social freedoms into the bargain.
Today’s festival in Taipei is a people’s celebration. Time to dust off the dragon boats for another year of races; for families and co-workers to indulge in a little community spirit. They may not feel it yet, but the delicate balance of the Taiwan-China relationship has just been altered.
Now china has the weight of Hong Kong on its side, and with the hand over complete, Taiwan will have to be better prepared to defend itself.
Mirage aircraft FX: Mirage aircraft
Colgan: This is Taiwan’s multi-billion dollar insurance policy – it’s military, led by a strong air defence network.
Military personnel Today the top brass are celebrating, and showing off their latest purchase – five French made Mirage jet fighters, $400 million worth of aircraft, and the first batch of sixty.
These are a small part of formidable defence capability, specifically designed to repel an attack by mainland China.
Mirage aircraft The Hong Kong hand over has already fired nationalism in china. There’s a fear here that sentiment will inflame impatience for a united China.
Chang interview Chang: they have bene beefing up their military forces, purchasing weapons, more modern weapons.
Super:
CHANG KING-YUH And also undergoing constant training. And as I said, they have
Mainland Affairs Council never abandoned the idea of using force.
We have been urging them that we should start some kind of dialogue leading to the cessation of hostilities, maybe signing a peace accord. They have never responded to that. So it remains to be seen, we have to keep our guard.
Kids playing basketball FX: Kids playing
Colgan: The shadow cast by Beijing is felt by the Taiwanese at an early age.
Shir Da Senior High School The 4500 students here at the Shir Da Senior High School in Taipei, have fought to secure a position in this prestigious government school.
FX: Class reciting ‘Good Mornings’
Rudy Chuang in class Colgan: Seventeen years old, Rudy Chuang and Steve Chang are both planning to study law after graduating high school. Their English class today is accompanied by another subject, not on most school agendas.
Students undertaking military training Colgan: all students in Taiwan are taught military training. The boys will go on to give two years compulsory military service.
Instructor interview Instructor: if the student fails military education he has to take the class again in summer. So the high school student has to pass military education to get a high school diploma.
In the future, when they’re in the army the defence budget will have been saved in basic training.
Colgan: Although Rudy and Steve think two years is a long time to serve in the army, neither resents the compulsory training.
Rudy interview Rudy: I think in the current international situation we need to have the ability to defend ourselves. Not strong enough to attack others – but powerful enough to defend ourselves.
Steve interview Steve: I think the earlier we start this training the better understanding we’ll have of military service
Port of Gaoshung FX: Boat Horn
Colgan: It’s China’s market power, not its military, that poses a more immediate threat. The port of Gaoshung, Taiwan’s biggest, and one of the top three container ports in the world.
I find a huge bustling freeway, with non-stop sea traffic. Taiwan’s economic prowess has been built on its foreign trade. And its trade built on shipping.
These waters, leading to the Taiwan Straits have also led to symbiotic connection with the mainland. China needs the massive investment poured in by the Taiwanese. Taiwan simply needs the business.
Port Colgan: Taiwanese businesses invest billions of dollars annually in China. So much so, the Taiwanese government is running scared, and has just announced a new cap on investment, much to the disgust of big business.
Chang interview Chang: If we develop into a situation where are economically overly dependent on the Chinese mainland, that could have political consequences.
Colgan: Such as?
Chang: Such as, for instance, they can utilise this economic relationship to force us to make any kind of a political concessions, etcetera. Or hope to mobilise the private sector to urge the government to change its policy, etcetera. I think that’s possible.
Boat on water Colgan: The giant economic entity of Hong Kong and China now has Taiwan worried about how it can possibly compete. In turn, Hong Kong will provide unwelcome political leverage for China to further isolate Taiwan, forcing countries to choose between their formal ties with Hong Kong or Taiwan.
We do not wish to live under any kind of a communism, and we detest any kind of one party dictatorship. We are prepared to defend our freedom and prosperity.