The U.N. referendum farce

They knew that even if their referendums passed, they had no practical significance. U.N. entry requires a majority vote of its 193 members, while Taiwan has only 23 diplomatic allies — not to mention China’s veto power, of course. But the two referendums, one by the pro-independence DPP, the other by the pro-unification KMT, are vastly different in nature. Each has their own axe to grind.

The DPP’s referendum is directed by President Chen Shui-bian, aimed at pushing Taiwan independence by changing the official name of this country from the Republic of China to Taiwan. This “unilateral move to change the status quo” is opposed by Washington, the European Union and Beijing, which considers such a move as casus belli. The KMT’s referendum is purely for show. The KMT is like a hijacked hostage, forced to follow the DPP’s lead reluctantly, for fear of losing votes from the middle-of-the-road electorate. The KMT, by nature, is against referendums of any kind, as evidenced in the 2004 election. Now, for the sake of votes, the party has concocted a referendum of its own, calling for “re-joining” the world body under the country’s official name — the ROC.

But neither initiative stands a chance of passage. Neither is thick-skinned enough to back off. Now the KMT has come up with a face-saving solution, telling voters to boycott the DPP referendum, and support the KMT initiative if they want. You don’t have to wait until March 22 to see the ending of the farce. Voters are tired of such manipulations.

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