For Immediate Release July 3, 1997

The ‘Reunification’ of China is at Hand

by Tim Kern

Now that Hong Kong has been swallowed by China, Taiwan is next on the menu. And the recent votes of three Colorado Congresspersons may encourage China to indulge its appetite for expanding totalitarian rule.

As Dan Rather pointed out in a broadcast from Hong Kong, the consensus there is that China will soon begin moving towards taking over Taiwan. Rather also pointed out that the Chinese government’s deployment of 4000 Red Army troops and tanks was, in his view, a calculated show of power, and the Red government "didn’t give a damn" about world opinion.

Why should it? Chinese trade and Chinese money have put a happy face on businessmen and politicians who, even when they publicly deplore communism and brutal human rights violations in Red China, condone the violation by expanding their trade with the Reds.

When Britain’s lease on Hong Kong expired, the city should have been reunited with Taiwan. Indeed, during the 1950s and 1960s, that was the plan. But in the early 1970s, President Richard Nixon’s desperate grasp for a place in history led him to open the door to world recognition of Mao Zedong’s genocidal regime. The way was paved for Hong Kong to be turned over, not to the free Chinese on Taiwan, but to the butchers of Tiananmen Square.

On a recent Meet the Press, Secretary of State Madeline Albright dodged the question of when we could expect the "reunification" of Taiwan with Red China.

Didn’t Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain use similar language talking about the "reunification" of the Sudetenland, Austria, and finally Czechoslovakia with Germany? Didn’t Hitler use the same rhetoric?

"Reunification," however, is a misnomer. The Sudetenland and Austria, while ethnically German, had not historically been part of Germany. Similarly, Taiwan is ethnically Chinese, but for most of its history has been separate from the mainland regime.

There’s another parallel here, and it’s a sad one: not enough Americans understand history, and not enough Americans care what happens to people who are different from them. Similarly, Neville Chamberlin explained that Britain let Hitler bully Czechoslovakia because the British people did not want to go to war to defend a far-away people about whom the British knew little.

Despite the high ideals of Anglo-American civilization, not enough British in 1938, and not enough Americans in 1997 cared about humanity when money was involved. Given the apathetic public response to China’s massive bribery of the Clinton administration, not enough Americans care about even their own freedom when dollars are involved.

Last week’s vote to extend Most Favored Nation (MFN) trade status with Red China worsens the problem. Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott and House Speaker Newt Gingrich wanted the MFN vote to be scheduled before the Communist takeover of Hong Kong, rather than after. They apparently didn’t want any unpleasantness or stress to overshadow the ceremonies; nor did they want any possible violence or butchery to stand in the way of more US trade dollars and jobs on their way to Beijing.

Three Colorado Congresspersons voted in favor of MFN for China: DeGette (D-Denver), Skaggs (D-Boulder), and Dan Schaefer (R-Jefferson County). Three others voted against Hefley (R-Colo. Springs), McInniss (R-west slope), and Schaffer (R-eastern plains).

The new, Communist-appointed head of Hong Kong, said that his people had performed "studies" on Hong Kong to see what the peoples' priorities were. He said they were (in order): housing, employment, law and order, and education. He said that, since "democracy" was "way down the list," world opinion makers should not concern themselves with it.

He missed an important point: There are many ways to insure housing, jobs, low crime, and education. One way is to simply imprison everyone. One of the most-efficient and most-humane ways is to promote capitalism and freedom, so that those who use their talent and drive can have everything they work for; and those who achieve less have both the incentive and opportunity to do better.

As for the coming conquest of Taiwan: The Taiwanese can be "reunified" with Red China whenever they want. Whenever they want to give up their sovereignty, heritage, and freedom; Red China would welcome them "home." They obviously don’t want to be assimilated, but the moneyed interests and their political pawns are in line to have exactly that sad act take place, and without a whimper from the "free world."

Tim Kern hosts a national radio talk show and teaches economics. He wrote this article for the Independence Institute, a free-market think tank located in Golden, Colorado.

This article, from the Independence Institute staff, fellows and research network, is offered for your use at no charge. Independence Feature Syndicate articles are published for educational purposes only, and the authors speak for themselves. Nothing written here is to be construed as necessarily representing the views of the Independence Institute or as an attempt to influence any election or legislative action.
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