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作者： 洪健昭 ( 2008年12月29日 12:31)
關鍵字：ultranationalism DPP

Ultranationalism is rather a relatively unfamiliar word.It was coined by historians to describe the movement in prewar Japan in response to its rapid Westernization for which the erosion of its traditional values was blamed.Propelled by with the jitters for the loss of its neo-imperialistic Lebensraum, the movement gained such a nationwide momentum as to lead the land of the rising sun to invade China and create an ephemeral empire named Great East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere.The outcome is Japan’s defeat in the Second World War.The country was then occupied by an Allied force for five years.This unprecedented disaster of Japan’s resulted from ultranationalism.

One recent phenomenon we are witnessing in Taiwan doesn’t bode well for its long-time future.After its two last election fiascos, the Democratic Progressive Party seems to turn ultranationalistic. Its leaders, from former President Chen Shui-bian (who resigned from the party and is facing trial for corruption, however) on down, have never failed to seize every possible opportunity to display patriotism either to Taiwan or the Republic of China.

Remember DPP leaders fired a broadside at the new Kuomintang administration for failure to insist on joining the United Nations as Taiwan or even the Republic of China?They professed the Republic of China is their country whose dignity the government should do what it can to uphold. They urged their supporters to wield their long-forgotten national flags of the Republic of China to welcome Chen Yunlin, chairman of the Association for Relations across the Taiwan Strait, and his delegates to Taipei.Their visit was characterized as a denigration of the sovereignty of the Republic of China, the country the now opposition party wanted to call Taiwan.President Ma Ying-jeou was blasted for belittling the Republic of China by meeting Chen at the Taipei Guest House.

A pair of giant pandas came to Taipei from Sichuan.DPP leaders hyped the arrival of the cuddly animals as a sellout of Taiwan which they claimed was delegated to a province of the People’s Republic.The People’s Liberation Army announced it would send warships across the Indian Ocean to defend China’s merchant marine as well as that of Taiwan’s against Somalian pirates.Leaders of the opposition party rejected Chinese protection, alleging it is simply a ploy on Beijing’s part to show to the world Taiwan is nothing but one of its provinces, the interests of whose people it is duty-bound to safeguard.

All this is a symptom those politicians who have been bitten by the bugs of ultranationalism show.

The only difference the ultranationalists in Japan had from their counterparts in Taiwan is that of their enemy.The Japanese hated everything Western.Their enemy was the West.Their opposite numbers in Taiwan hate China and everything Chinese.The enemy is the People’s Republic.Their ultranationalism, which may be just a façade (and we hope it is and will never spread like a wildfire like in prewar Japan), is harmful to Taiwan, even if it may not lead the people of the island to disaster.

（本文刊載於97.12.29 China Post第4版，本文代表作者個人意見）

• 洪健昭

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