【國立臺灣大學 109學年度畢業典禮 貴賓致詞】
Commencement Address, National Taiwan University Commencement 2021
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巨大集團 羅祥安前執行長
Giant Group Former CEO Anthony Lo
管校長,羅副校長,各位貴賓,畢業生的家長跟朋友們,還有今天最重要的2021年臺大的畢業生,大家早安、大家好!
首先恭喜你們,今天從全世界最優秀大學之一的臺灣大學畢業了!
在過去幾年,在管校長,以「大學教改」和「國際化」的理念,率領全體師生的努力之下,臺大在全世界的能見度,和各項排名,都有顯著的進步,也讓身為校友的我們倍感光榮。
是不是我們大家一起鼓掌,給自己鼓勵一下好不好!
你們今天剛剛畢業,但是你們已經創造了臺大一項新的紀錄:第一次,沒有傳統畢業典禮的畢業生。這將是你們人生一個非常特別的回憶,也預表了你們未來將會有與眾不同的表現,和非凡的成就。
現在的世界,局勢是在東方跟西方的勢力,彼此對抗而動盪不安。而全世界的經濟活動,也因為科技的突破性創新,而受到很大的影響。不盡理想的、不盡公平的全球化,也將逐漸地變成 全球在地化。而COVID-19肆虐全球的結果,使得臺灣跟全世界,大家的生活型態、社會的結構、經濟活動的節奏都被打亂了,而必須要加以全面的整理跟重新的架構。這當然是一個危機,但是更是一個絕好的機會。所以,將你們迎面而來的,是無數的創新的機會,以及冒險卻令人興奮的全新挑戰。
因為臺灣,這是第一次跟全世界各個國家,同步的站在一個嶄新的共同起跑點上面。所以我要恭喜你們,你們躬逢其會,將要進入一個充滿希望、嶄新的時代。
我是1969年從臺大畢業的,所以我想今天就以我畢業之後的50多年,人生的一些學習和體會,來跟諸位分享,給諸位作個參考。
當我大學畢業的時候,我滿懷抱負,迫不及待地想要大展身手,我當時進入臺灣最大的貿易公司工作,但是我發現我所學的很多東西,只有一些國際貿易的實務跟英文有用,至於其他我所學習到的經營管理的很多知識,恐怕都要等到10年、20年之後,如果我有幸當上高級主管才能派上用場。
更諷刺的是,我是商學系畢業的,但是工作兩年後,我發現我真的不喜歡做商人,我也不喜歡做生意,我有興趣的是做事業。
後來,幸好我有聆聽我心裡面的微弱的聲音,決定踏進自行車業,放棄掉台北最好的貿易公司的金飯碗,而去參加在大甲一個只有38個人的小公司,來追求我的夢想。
那時候許多人認為我腦筋有問題,頭殼壞去,但現在回顧回來,我當時是做了人生一個非常好的決定。
創業的過程飽受艱辛,但是我也學到了很多寶貴的經驗:我首先學到的,是在做事之前,必須要先學做人。
人必須要誠信踏實,不能自私自利,而要利他共好。
要隨時心存感恩,尊重、關切別人。要熱愛這個世界,並且要了解到一個人的能力是有限的,而必須要去建立互信、互助的人際關係;要融入群體、要發揮團隊的精神。
在做事方面,一定要以正面積極的態度,認真努力去工作。 而且不要怕失敗,要勇於接受新的挑戰。因為如果有失敗了,那只是代表說你又更靠近成功一步了。要作中學,學中作,要虛心好奇的終身學習,開拓挑戰、追求卓越。
在這裡,我想要送給大家一個很特別的畢業禮物,就是兩個「成功的錦囊」。
第一個錦囊:不管你做什麼工作,不論你職務的高低,永遠都要站在顧客的立場,來為他們設想,還能做什麼,讓他們能夠得到更多的創新價值。
第二個錦囊:無論作什麼工作,不管你職務的高低,永遠都要站在經營者的角度來為公司設想,要做什麼,才能讓公司更健康,永續經營跟發展。
既使你們把我後面講的很多東西都忘記了,沒關係,但是這個畢業禮物你們一定要記得帶回去,因為這些「同理心」的兩個錦囊,在未來會給你們帶來意想不到的祝福!
其次我體會到,名跟利都是副產品。正產品是你成為什麼樣的人,成就什麼樣的事。當正產品是對的時候,名跟利都自然會來。
所以我鼓勵大家在找工作的時候,不要太計較開始的薪水和待遇。因為事實上,一個新人,在前面三年是很難有大的貢獻的,反過來只是公司發薪水來給你培訓而已。所以選擇一個有意義的行業,找一家你可以學習進步的好公司,這才是重要的。
第三,我學習到 知識不等於智慧。諸位都學有專精,有很多寶貴的知識,但這些知識必須要實際去做才能夠產生經驗,而累積的時候會有不同經驗的反省、學習、跟體會,尤其是從那些失敗的經 驗,才能夠漸漸地凝結成有用的智慧。
我的成長過程分成三段,開始我是一個「I」型的人,我擁有一些經營管理的基本的能力。後來因為工作的需要和我的好奇心,我漸漸地學習到技術開發、製造生產、品牌推廣、全球經營、以及行銷、服務等等寶貴的經驗,這樣漸漸地,我就形成一個「T」型的一個跨界的人才。但是到了我真正找到公司未來的使命跟方向,並且把它跟我的人生目標結合在一起,熱情的、積極去推動的時候,那時候我終於成為一個「十字架」型的一個領導者。
當公司發展得比較穩定之後,我就面臨要如何來替公司規劃願景、使命、定位,跟長期策略。在這個階段,我有一些新的體會:首先,你必須要能夠畫出一個「黃金正三角形」,正三角形是最穩定的,上面是戰略,中間是戰術,下面是戰鬥。先要有正確的戰略,才能衍伸出有效的戰術,再根據這個戰術去貫徹戰鬥的執行。換言之,戰略就是做對的事情,戰術就是對的方法,戰鬥就是用對的方法去把事情做對做好,並且不斷地去持續改善。
想要能夠思考出長期的戰略,就必須要有洞察力。
我很喜歡看地球儀,就是那種在一個架子上面,有一個可以轉動的地球模型。當你把地球轉動的時候,你看到上面每一個地方、每一個國家,它的地理位置、它的自然生態,以及你思考它的歷史的演變跟它的發展,這樣子你就能夠得出一個整體的,跟全方位的一個概念。
在思考長期戰略的時候,很不容易得出一個有突破性的一個創見,它的原因往往是因為「當局者迷」的關係。
所以當我考慮長期戰略的時候,我會把自己設想,好像從一個人造衛星上面,來觀看一個轉動的地球。以宇宙格局的高度,以全球視野的廣度,以歷史演進的長度,這樣子你就能夠以一個「旁觀者清」的姿態和角度,來正面、反面深入思考,這樣子你就可能得到一個突破性的一個解答。「世界的捷安特」跟「全球在地化」的品牌經營—這樣子的策略、願景就是這樣產生的。
另外一種洞察力,是如何推出給人們有創新價值的產品跟服務。這就要時時地站在人文跟科技的十字路口,仔細觀察它們的變化,然後活用科技的進步,為人文潛在的需求,適時地提供最佳的解決方案。捷安特的Cycling世界,就是用這種方法,不斷的推出創新價值的產品。
我們在經營上也有發展出一個特別的理念,那就是「不求第一,要作惟一」。全世界的人這麼多,但沒有兩個人的指紋是一樣的, 所以每一個人都是獨一無二、都是惟一的。可見當上帝造每一個人的時候,祂都有衪特別的計劃,而且也把成功所需要的能力跟要素,已經放在你的心中,等待你取用。所以每一個人不應該只是模仿別人,或者是按照別人的期望來生活,而應該要找出並且發揮自己的天賦,真正做自己,成為惟一,才能夠活出精采的生命。
企業也是一樣,不能隨波逐流,必須要找出什麼才是對的,什麼是合適你的,什麼才是有意義、對這個世界有貢獻的,這個才是惟一。當你精益求精,努力的想要成為惟一的時侯,你才能夠找到真正正確的目標,以及永續生存的價值。如果事事都想為第一,那麼你可能去追求很多不切實際的目標,而被你無法承受的巨大壓力所摧毀。或者,因為不擇手段,最後走上一些錯誤的道路。
在長期追求惟一的過程當中,我也得到兩個重要的體會:當你決心做一件對的事情,而且不屈不撓,勇敢堅持奮鬥的時候,全宇宙的力量都會起來幫助你。另外,把一件有意義的事情,用生命的力量把它作好,你就有可能改變這個世界!
我鼓勵你們,聆聽你們內心深處的微小的聲音,讓它引導你們,去尋找到你們的天賦,了解你們的命定。
不求第一,要作惟一。做你真正的自己,成為惟一。活出你精彩的生命,享受你幸福的人生!
很多人說,生長在臺灣的人,一輩子裡面一定要完成三項挑戰:登玉山、泳渡日月潭、還有騎自行車環島。我覺得這非常有道理。所以我建議大家在畢業以後,在去當兵、就業之前,不妨參加一個自行車環島的旅行團,用九天的時間,仔細的去體會、欣賞寶島臺灣的美好,用自行車的輪胎去親吻,這塊生你長你的美麗大地,就當作是送給你自己的一個畢業禮物吧!
那教授們跟家長們,可能會想說,啊!太可惜了,我畢業的時候沒有騎自行車環島,我現在已經五六十歲了。沒關係,你這個年紀正好來從事人生的壯遊。
我們臺大的校長-管校長,在今年的一月份,就勇敢的完成他夢寐以求的自行車環島的壯遊。我們給管爺一個掌聲好不好?
有人認為臺灣很小、沒有前途,真的是這樣嗎?世界經濟論壇每年都要把全世界的國家的實力做一個調查跟排名。讓我們來看一下臺灣的排名。全世界有235個國家,就面積來講,我們排名第137;就人口來講,第57;就經濟體來講,第21;就整體競爭力來講,排名第11;而創新力,臺灣排名第4。沒錯,臺灣的確不大,但是我們很強,我們可以很有前途!
可預見的,未來的世界將會成為美、歐、亞三區鼎力的這個新局面。就像三個圓圈,各自都以自己的利益為優先,並且彼此長期的競爭、對抗和抵制,但是同時又不得不相互的維持一些必要的連結。而在每一個圈裡面,它將持續的有很多劇烈的改變,就像一個暴風圈一樣。而這三個暴風圈連結在一起,就形成一個所謂完全風暴PERFECT STORM。
最近經濟學人雜誌,把臺灣當作封面,稱臺灣為地球上最危險的地方,但同時又是科技業最關鍵的地方。我個人倒認為,未來臺灣可能是處在一個最有利的地位,就在那三個暴風圈中間的那個颱風眼,也就是這三個圈圈彼此連結交會的中心點。這個地方看起來好像危險,其實是最安全、最有利、又是最關鍵的地方。
當三個暴風圈無可避免的,參與在一個長期的競爭、對抗、跟抵制-這樣一個零和的賽局裡面。那臺灣並不屬於任何一個圈圈,也不需要去參與這些競爭、對抗跟抵制。而可以去想說,我可以在這個關鍵的中心點,替這個世界來提供什麼樣子的創新價值的貢獻。
臺灣過去50年的努力累積了很多技術開發、製造管理、金融資本,社會資源,以及民主法治體制,這些稀有而寶貴的實力。而且如果以全世界作為舞台,那麼,能夠精通中文跟英文、能夠深切的了解東方西方的文化;有專業,又能跨界,謙卑而不自卑,自信而不自大的臺灣人,可能是全世界最優秀的人才。
未來無法被預測,但是可以被創造!30年前,有誰能夠預測到說臺灣會產生世界級的台積電跟捷安特?
台積電秉持著作惟一的理念,以全球晶圓代工的戰略,厚植實力,打造了優質高效的供應鏈,把臺灣變成一個科技島。以臺灣為核心,轉動引領全世界的半導體市場。
捷安特也秉持著作惟一的理念,以世界的捷安特,全球在地化的品牌戰略,帶領A-Team把臺灣變成全世界高級車的中心,又積極的推動Cycling的新文化,把臺灣發展成一個自行車島,以臺灣為核心,轉動引領全世界自行車的市場。
在這裡我也期許我們臺大,也能夠以作惟一這樣子的理念,轉動引領世界,變成全世界最優秀人才培養的最佳搖籃。
未來的50年,臺灣將迎來前所未有最大的機運!所以臺灣是不是應該要脫離過去單純競爭的心態,而來積極的謀求長期的未來生存之道,或者更進一步要問自己:臺灣可以為世界貢獻些什麼?臺灣不應該只是消極的「根留臺灣」,而應該更主動積極的「放眼全球、立足亞太、深根臺灣」。
臺灣過去的50年,那是一個非常艱辛跟特別的階段。很慶幸的,臺灣在那個階段裡面,是屬於勝利的這一組。
現在是應該到了必須要了解過去、深入現在、策劃未來,這個重要關鍵的時刻。要如何的以宇宙格局的高度、以全球視野的廣度、以及歷史演進的長度,衡外情,量己力,來為臺灣重新的定位,重新畫一個正確的戰略、戰術、戰鬥的黃金三角形。讓臺灣能夠真正發揮自己的長處,能夠打造創新價值的優勢,成為惟一、做Only One!要能夠創造一個更安全、更廣闊、更興盛-全新的藍海。臺灣必須要成為世界的好公民,繼續的為全世界做更多、更好的貢獻!
2021的畢業生們,在你們當中有未來國家的領導人、有全球企業的創造者、有在社會各行各業、方方面面的核心人才,所以臺灣未來50年的未來,就掌握在你們手中了。
最後,我想用一位著名科學家的名言來作結尾: Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving. 人生就像騎自行車,要保持你平衡最好的方法,就是繼續不斷地向前進。
你知道這是誰的名言嗎? 沒錯,就是愛因斯坦!
2021的畢業生們,請你騎上你人生的自行車,勇敢的向前邁進,去開創你獨一無二、精彩無比的新生命跟未來。再一次,恭喜你們,並且祝福你們每一位,將來都能夠有健康、幸福、精彩跟有意義的人生!
謝謝!
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President Kuan, Executive Vice President Luo, Distinguished guests, family, friends, and most importantly, the graduating class of 2021, good morning!
First of all, congratulations! Today, you are graduating from one of the best universities in the world – National Taiwan University!
Over the last few years, President Kuan led the university forward with his vision of “educational reform” and internationalization”. Together with all the faculty and students, NTU has made significant progress in both ranking and global visibility, making us, alumni, extremely proud.
I think we deserve to give ourselves a round of applause!
You are the graduating class of 2021 and already, you have set a new record for NTU: For the first time, there will not be a traditional graduation ceremony. Let this be a very special memory of your life and a sign of the difference you will make in your future with extraordinary achievements.
The world is now in a volatile state where the East and the West are confronting each other. The world’s economic activities are also greatly affected by the breakthrough and innovations in technology. The less-than-ideal and less-than fair globalization will gradually become global localization. And as a result of COVID-19, Taiwan and the rest of the world’s lifestyle, social structure, and economy have been disrupted, and must be comprehensively reorganized and restructured. This is certainly a crisis, but in the midst of every crisis, lies great opportunity. So, what lies before you are countless opportunities for innovation, and exciting new challenges.
Because, for the first time, Taiwan is standing with the rest of the world on a new race-track. Therefore, I would like to congratulate you, you are entering a new era full of hope.
I graduated from NTU in 1969. It has been more than 50 years and today, I would like to share some of my life experiences and insights.
When I graduated from college, I was filled with ambition. I couldn’t wait to make my mark. I joined one of the largest trading companies in Taiwan, where I quickly realized the only materials I learned in school that came in handy are a little bit of international trade practices and English. Much of what I had learned about business management would only be relevant 10 or 20 years down the road, if I was lucky enough to become a senior executive.
What’s even more ironic is that I graduated with a degree in business, but after working for 2 years, I realize I really don’t like being a businessman, and I don’t like doing business. What I am actually interested in is building an enterprise.
Fortunately, I chose to listen to the faint voice in my heart and decided to enter the bicycle industry. I left my position at the best trading company in Taipei to join a small company with only 38 employees in Dajia to pursue my dream.
At the time, many people thought I must’ve broken my skull and gone crazy, but looking back, I have made a great decision in my life.
The process of starting my own enterprise has been very difficult, but I have learned many valuable lessons. The first thing I learned is that before you can do anything else, you have to learn to be a person of good character.
We must be honest, down to earth, selfless, self-serving, and altruistic for the common good.
Be grateful, respectful and caring at all times. To love the world and to understand that one person’s ability is limited and that is necessary to build interpersonal relationships of mutual trust and support; to be part of a group and to play as a team.
When it comes to work, you must work hard with a positive attitude. And don’t be afraid to fail, be brave enough to accept new challenges. Because every time you fail, it just means you are one step closer to success. Learning is an active process. We learn by doing. We must stay open-minded and curious, aspiring to lifelong learning; to explore challenges and pursue excellence.
Here I would like to give everyone a special graduation gift, which are my two tips for success:
First, always put yourself in the customer’s shoes, regardless of what you’re doing or what kind of job title you hold. Think for them, think about what else you can do to create more value for the customers.
Second, regardless of what you’re doing or what kind of job title you hold, always think about the company from the proprietor’s point of view; what can we do to build a healthier company that’s sustainable.
Even if you are going to forget everything I say later, that’ ok. Just remember to take your graduation gift at heart, because these two tips on “empathy “are sure to bring you unexpected blessings in the future!
Later on, I realized that fame and money are merely byproducts. The real product is you, what kind of person you have become and what have you achieved. When the real product is identified, fame and money will come naturally.
So I encourage you, when you look for a job, don’t be too concerned about the starting salary and benefits. Because as a matter of fact, as a newcomer, it is very difficult to make a big contribution in the first three years, so really the company is paying to give you training instead. So choose a meaningful industry and find a good company where you can improve and grow, that’s what’s important.
Thirdly, I learned that knowledge is not the same as wisdom. All of you have learned a lot and have a lot of valuable knowledge, but this knowledge must be practiced in order to produce experience, and in the process of accumulation, there will be different experiences of reflection, learning and empathy, especially from failure, slowly and surely all these experiences will be condensed into useful wisdom.
My personal development can be divided into three stages. I began as a I-shaped person with some basic skills in business management. Later on, due to my job and curiosity, I gained respected experience in technology development, manufacturing, branding, global marketing, and service and thus gradually becoming a T-shape multidisciplinary professional.
However, when I combined the future mission and direction of the company with my life goals, promoting it enthusiastically and actively, that is when I finally became a X-shape transdisciplinary leader.
Once the company became more stable, I was faced with the challenge of planning the vision, mission, positioning, and long-term strategy for the company. At this stage, I had some new insights.
First, you must be able to draw a “golden triangle”, an equilateral triangle is the most stable shape with strategy on top, tactics in the middle, and operations at the bottom. In other words, the strategy is to do the right thing, the tactics is the using the right methods, and operations is using the right methods to excel on doing the right things while constantly improving them.
To develop long-term strategies, it is necessary to have insight.
I enjoy looking at the globe, yes, the spherical model of Earth that sits on a stand and can be rotated. When you rotate the globe, you can see every place and country on it, its geographical location, its natural ecology, and you can think about its historical evolution and development, so that you can come up with an overall comprehensive concept.
When thinking about long-term strategy, it is not easy to come up with a groundbreaking idea, because “men are often blind in their own cause”
Therefore, when I think about long-term strategy, I imagine myself as if I were looking at a rotating Earth from a man-made satellite. With the height of the universe, the breadth of global vision and the length of historical evolution, you will be able think about it from the perspective of an observer, and then you may have a breakthrough. This is how the strategy and vision of “GIANT for the World” and “glocalization” brand management came about.
Another kind of insight is how to introduce the products and services to create additional value to people. This requires standing at the crossroads of humanity and technology, observing their changes carefully, and then using technological advances to provide the best solutions for the potential needs of humanity in a timely manner. This is how GIANT’s Cycling World continues to introduce innovative values to its products.
We have also developed a special philosophy in our business, which is “don’t be the first one, be the only one”. There are so many people in the world, but no two people share the same fingerprints, making each person unique and one of a kind. God created each person with purpose and has gifted us with the abilities and elements needed for success. All of which is in your heart, waiting for you to take them. Therefore, we should not just follow each other’s footstep or live under the expectations of someone else. Instead, we should find and give reigns to our talents, to truly be ourselves, to become the only one and live a brilliant life.
The same applies to businesses, you can’t just go with the flow, we must find what is right and suitable and what is meaningful and contributive to the world, this is what it means to be the only one. When you strive for excellence and strive to be the only one, you will find the right goals and the value of sustainability. If you try to be first in everything, you may pursue many unrealistic goals and either be destroyed by unbearable pressure or resort to doing whatever it takes, and end up on the wrong path.
I have learned two important lessons in my long quest to be the “only one”. When you are determined to do the right thing and you are unyielding and persistent in your struggle, the power of the universe will rise up and help you. In addition, if you do something meaningful and do it well with the power of life, you may change the world.
I urge you to listen to the small voice deep within you and let it guide you to find your talents and understand your destiny.
Do not seek to be the first but to be the only. Be true to yourself and be the only one. Live your life to the fullest and enjoy your life to the fullest!
Many people say that growing up in Taiwan, you must complete three challenges in your lifetime: climb to the top of Jade Mountain, swim across Sun Moon Lake, and ride a bike around the island. I think this is very true. Therefore, I suggest that after graduation, before you go to the military or get a job, you might as well join a bicycle tour around the island and spend nine days to carefully experience and appreciate the beauty of Taiwan. As a graduation gift to yourself, let the tires kiss the beautiful land where you were born and raised.
All the professors and parents must be thinking in regret, “Ah! Too bad! I didn’t ride my bike around the island when I graduated and now I’m already in my 50s and 60s…” But that’s okay! You are actually at the perfect age to start your adventurous life.
Our President of NTU, President Kuan bravely completed his dream bike tour around the island in January this year. Let’s give President Kuan a round of applause!
Some people think that Taiwan is small and has no future. Every year, the World Economic Forum conducts a survey and ranking of the strength of countries around the world. Let’s take a look at Taiwan’s ranking. There are 235 countries in the world and we rank 137th in terms of landmass, 57th in terms of population, 21st in terms of economy, 11th in terms of overall competitiveness, and 4th in terms of innovation. It’s true that Taiwan is not big, but we are strong and we have a promising future.
In the foreseeable future there will become a new situation in which the United States, Europe and Asia will be the three focal regions. Just like three circles, each of which prioritizes its own interests and is in long-term competition, confrontation and resistance, but at the same time has to maintain some necessary links with each other. And in each circle, drastic changes will be endless, just like a storm circle. These three storm circles are linked together to form a so-called PERFECT STORM.
The Economist magazine recently featured Taiwan on its cover, calling it the most dangerous place on earth, but at the same time the most critical place for the technology industry. Personally, I think that Taiwan may be in the most favorable position in the future, right in the middle of the three storm circles, the eye of the typhoon, which is the center point where these three circles are connected. This place seems dangerous, but in fact it is the safest, most favorable, and most critical place.
When the three storm circles are inevitably involved in a long-term competition, confrontation, and boycott - a zero-sum game. Taiwan does not belong to any of these circles, nor does it need to participate in these competitions, confrontations, and boycotts. Instead, situated in this critical position, I should begin to think about what kind of innovative value I can provide to the world.
Taiwan's efforts over the past 50 years have accumulated many rare and valuable strengths in technology development, manufacturing management, financial capital, social resources, and the democratic rule of law system. If the world is our stage, Taiwanese people who are proficient in Chinese and English, who have a deep understanding of Eastern and Western cultures, who are professional, who can cross borders, who are humble but not inferior, and who are confident but not arrogant, may be the best talents in the world.
The future cannot be predicted, but it can be created! 30 years ago, who could have predicted that Taiwan would produce globally renowned TSMC and GIANT?
TSMC is committed to the concept of being the only one, and has built up its strengths with its global foundry strategy, creating a high-quality and efficient supply chain and turning Taiwan into a technology island. With Taiwan as the core, TSMC is leading the worldwide semiconductor market.
GIANT also upholds the concept of "Be the only one" and leads the A-Team to turn Taiwan into the center of the world's premium bikes with the brand strategy of globalization and localization, and actively promotes the new culture of cycling, developing Taiwan into a cycling island and leading the world's cycling market with Taiwan as the core.
Here I also hope that we, NTU, can also lead the world with the concept of being the only one, and become the best cradle for the cultivation of the best talents in the world.
In the next 50 years, Taiwan will have the greatest opportunity ever! Therefore, Taiwan should get rid of the simple competitive mentality of the past and actively seek the long-term survival of the future, or go even further and ask itself: What can Taiwan contribute to the world? Taiwan should not just "secure Taiwan" in a conservative way, but should be more proactive with global outlook and establish a foothold in the Asia Pacific.
The last 50 years, for Taiwan, has been very difficult and significant. Fortunately, Taiwan pulled through and came out as one of the winners.
Now is the crucial moment to understand the past, delve into the present, and plan for the future. We must take the height of the universe, the breadth of our global vision, and the length of historical evolution, weigh the external situation, and measure our own strengths to reposition Taiwan and draw the golden triangle of strategy, tactics, and operations. Taiwan should be able to give full play to its strengths, create innovative value, and become the only one! Taiwan must become a good citizen of the world and continue to make more and better contributions to the world!
Graduates of 2021, among you are the future leaders of the country, the creators of global enterprises, and the core talents in all walks of life, the future is in your hands.
Finally, I would like to conclude with a quote from a famous scientist: Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.
Do you know who this quote belongs to? That's right, Einstein!
Graduates of 2021, please get ready for your life adventure, get on your bikes and peddle courageously forward to create your own unique and exciting future. Again, congratulations and best wishes to each and every one of you for a healthy, happy, and meaningful life!
Thank you!
詳見:
https://www.facebook.com/NTUCommencement/posts/2718162161807541
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#臺灣大學 #畢業典禮 #NTUCommencement2021 #貴賓致詞 #羅祥安
同時也有10000部Youtube影片,追蹤數超過2,910的網紅コバにゃんチャンネル,也在其Youtube影片中提到,...
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taiwan economy ranking 在 粘拔的幸福碎碎念 Facebook 的最佳解答
整理得很好
【**川普做了哪些40年來其他總統沒做的事?**】中共就是這幾任包括柯林頓,小布希,歐巴馬給搞到為所欲為,不管川普是否連任,這4年能夠把中共搞到崩潰邊緣,他真的不簡單!
**這裡整理幾點,他做了那些前任總統沒做的事?**
**1. 讓反共成為美國共識:**
* 正式公開承認過去幾十年對中政策的錯誤,並將中國與中共分開,認定中共所領導的中國為「有別於民主」的獨裁國家,視其為「新威權主義」
**2. 讓反共成為民主自由國家共識:**
* 呼籲並整合西方國家,在民主自由與極權暴政之間只能選邊站,價值觀勝過經濟誘因
* 在這次疫情,願意第一個出來講真話,讓我們不用活在指鹿為馬的世界,指出就是因為中共隱匿疫情,造成全球染疫超過千萬,死亡超過50萬人,經濟停擺,損失無可計算,四億多全職工作消失不復返,生活模式改變
* 甚至,他點出了 [#宗教自由](https://www.facebook.com/…/%E5%AE%97%E6%95%99%E8%87%AA%E7%9…),喚醒我們與中共的差別,西方民主國家不要忘記我們的價值觀,行善止惡的重要性
**3. 斷絕中共資金來源:**
* 進行貿易戰,提高關稅,迫使各國紛出走中國
* 提供優惠措施,輔導美企出走中國
* 嚴審中概股,逼迫中企會計公開透明,被迫在自由市場滅頂
* 限制經由香港的資金流動
* 對中國敏感科高科技出口禁令擴展到香港
* 下令美聯邦退休基金撤出中國,禁止用美國公務及老兵的退休基金去投資中國,使其製造武器來威脅美國人/士兵生命,過去幾任總統都是這樣做
* 美國八成假貨來自中港,不但危害智慧產權,消費者安全,更打擊市場公平性,川普對這些產品進行關稅制裁
* 進行《香港自治法》的簽署: 潛在制裁對象還首度包括國際金融機構,可導致中港銀行無法與美國銀行交易、不能使用美元結算,以打擊中港方資金鏈
**4. 斷絕中共技術來源,消滅「中國製造2025」:**
* 抵制中興、華為及與中共及解放軍有關係的中企
* 阻斷中國晶片來源,沒了心臟,所有設備根本出不了中國
* 對美國涉及千人計劃的學者、科學家開鍘,並對源頭中國駐美使館進行公開譴責
* 反制習近平「軍民融合戰略」竊取高科技,針對中國公民和學生進行簽證禁令,禁止具任何解放軍背景公民、學生與研究人員的再入境,撤銷簽證,甚至逮捕,一解放軍軍官以學術研究到美,在機場被捕,面臨最高10年刑期
* 正在進行「年度國防授權法案 (NDAA)」的簽署: 公布竊取美商業機密、威脅國家安全或經濟健康的個人或公司名單,[#向竊取技術的企業實施懲罰](https://www.facebook.com/…/%E5%90%91%E7%AB%8A%E5%8F%96%E6%8…),包括凍結他們在美國的資產,及禁止美國公民與這些公司和個人進行交易的制裁,還包括加強美國供應鏈的措施,以及擴大與中國導彈防禦系統整合的限制
**5. 5G:**
* 正式宣布華為國安威脅,目前世界已有多國正式宣布不用華為進行5G基礎建設,這對全世界各國國家安全極為重要,菲律賓即因電網用華為設備,中共可遠端停電菲律賓48小時
* 美憂中國監視及竊盜資料,海纜准通台灣,不准通香港
**6. 印太戰略**
* 美國對中國擴張問題,不再只是內容空泛的抱怨,反而是堅強的執行意志。從新加坡李顯龍公開表示,希望華府不要逼新加坡與東協在美、中兩國選邊,很明顯就是針對美國印太戰略在發言
* 美國正在亞太地區部署前所未見的軍力,目前美軍部署在亞太地區的兵力為37.5萬人,占美軍總兵力的28%,其中包括60%的海軍艦艇、55%的陸軍部隊,以及2/3的陸戰隊兵力
* 美國前總統歐巴馬8年任期中,在南海只執行4次航行自由行動,然而川普上任迄今四年已執行22次,是歐巴馬的11倍
**7. 台灣**
* 稱蔡英文為台灣總統,國務卿蓬佩奧公開稱讚台灣在民主自由的貢獻,並支持台灣加入WHO等國際組織
* 台灣被確認是美國印太戰略核心夥伴,公開邀請參加八月南海軍演
* 2016年共和黨首度將《六項保證》納入黨綱
* 《台北法案》: 內容涵蓋台灣對外關係、美台經貿關係和台灣參與國際組織,增強美台雙邊經貿關係,並要求美政府促進台灣國際參與
* 《2018年亞洲再保證倡議法》其中第209條款「對台灣之承諾」重申支持美國與台灣在政治、經濟及安全的合作,規定「美國總統應依來自中國之威脅而定期對台軍售」
* 《台灣旅行法》: 促進兩國高層交流
* 重啟台美FTA談判
* 美方加強參與台灣國艦國造
* 軍售台灣: 18枚MK-48 AT重型魚雷,66架F-16戰機,派里級巡防艦、AAV7兩棲突擊車、人攜刺針飛彈250枚、拖式2B型飛彈769枚、標槍飛彈及迅安系統後續支援,HARM反輻射飛彈50枚、聯合距外武器(JSOW)空對地飛彈56枚、MK48魚雷46枚、標準二型(SM-2)飛彈16枚、MK54輕型魚雷168枚、4艘紀德級驅逐艦AN /SLQ-32(V)3電戰系統性能提升、SRP偵蒐雷達後續維持、MK41垂直發射系統,C-130 運輸機、F-5 戰鬥機、經國號戰鬥機,M1A2T戰車、M88A2裝甲救濟車、M1070A1 重裝備運輸車、M1000 重裝備運輸板車、FIM-92刺針便攜式防空飛彈、122把M2重機槍、216把M240通用機槍
* 進行《台灣防衛法》的簽署: 確保美軍有能力保護台灣安全,包括評估採取有限核武來嚇阻中國
**8. 香港**
* 制裁傷害香港自治的中港官員,包括: 中共政治局常委,負責港澳事務的韓正,加速中共高層內部的分裂
* 通過《香港人權與民主法》,撤銷香港特別待遇,包括禁止出口軍民兩用技術到香港
* 著手撤銷香港在引渡條例、出口管制、旅遊及獨立關稅區地位等領域所享有的特殊待遇
* 進行《香港自治法》的簽署: 對破壞香港自治的中港官員,凍結其在美資產,禁止入境美國;潛在制裁對象還首度包括國際金融機構,可導致中港銀行無法與美國銀行交易、不能使用美元結算,以打擊中港方資金鏈
**9. 新疆**
* 2019年10月,美國宣布將28個打壓新疆穆斯林的中企列入黑名單
* 2020年5月,美國宣布將中國公安部法醫研究所和8家中企列入經濟黑名單,並將33個協助中國政府監控維族,或與中國解放軍及大規模殺傷性武器有關聯的企業、機構、個人列入黑名單
* 通過《2020 年維吾爾人權政策法案》,呼籲禁止在中國境內外對這些族群的任意拘留、酷刑和騷擾,將制裁監禁超過百萬穆斯林的中國官員,制裁手段包括:凍結中國有關官員的在美財產、拒絶他們入境、拒發或取消簽證
**10. 媒體:**
* 今年2月,美國已將新華社、中國環球電視網(CGTN)、中國國際廣播電台(CRI)、《中國日報》發行公司,以及《人民日報》發行商美國海天發展公司列為外國使團
* 今年3月,美國要求削減60位中國籍記者
* 今年4月,白宮史無前例地批評美國之音為中國政府做宣傳。新任執行長在6月初通過國會核准,原本貝內特(Amanda Bennet)在內多名美國之音高管宣佈辭職
* 今年5月,美國限制中國籍記者簽證90天
* 今年5月,川普與推特等社群媒體槓上,怒斥打壓言論自由
* 今年7月,新增4家中共官媒為外國使團,包括: 中央電視台(CCTV)、中國新聞社(中新社)、《人民日報》和《環球時報》,從此需向美國國務院提供在美員工的名單及他們在美租賃或持有的房地產清單
**11. 疫情前,2019年底的美國經濟表現**
* 失業率維持在 3.5%,創 1969 年以來新低
* 執政 3 年美股飆逾 50%,高居歷屆總統第一
* 招聘人數的增加和工資的上漲推動了消費者支出,消費者支出占美國經濟的三分之二以上
* 美國是2019年G7唯一經濟增速將超過2%的國家
* 至2019年12月,美國經濟已連續第126個月持續增長,是有記錄以來最長的經濟增長期
* 美國股市的總市值攀升至創紀錄,1.5倍於其GDP
* 強勁的美國經濟在2019年繼續吸引來自世界各地的投資,使美元匯率升至歷史新高
**12. 國際組織**
* 川普大聲譴責目前「過於以中國為中心」的國際機構,包括WHO等
* 以行動退出世衛及拒絕提供資金後,世衛終於在6月30日承認中國並非第一個告知疫情,也就是中共違反世界衛生條例,並沒有在24小時內告知世衛,也代表全球都有法源依據跟中共求償
* 川普政府的國家安全小組甚至在考慮建立一個全新的國際衛生組織,以使美國能擁有更大影響
* WTO秘書長突然在今年5月辭職
* 川普表示: 聯合國是一個過時的組織。暗示應成立一個以民主自由國家,有共同價值觀為前提的組織,並開始邀請各國參加G11
What did Trump do that the former presidents did not do?
1. Making Anti-CCP a consensus in the United States:
* Formally and publicly acknowledged the mistakes of the China policy over the past few decades, separated China from CCP, and regarded China led by CCP as a dictatorship, different from democracy countries
2. Making Anti-CCP a consensus in the democratic and free nations:
* Appealed the democratic and free nations to stand together against CCP. Western countries is forced by CCP to choose side between persistence in freedom and acceptance of Beijing’s bully tactics, between value and economic incentives.
* In this epidemic, told us the fact that it’s because of the CCP’s deliberate concealment, more than 10 million people have been infected, more than 500,000 people have died, more than 400 million full-time jobs have disappeared, and our lifestyle is forced to be changed.
* Pointed out the importance of religious freedom and awakened us the differences between us and the CCP. CCP is a regime that oppresses her people’s religious freedom. Western democracies should not forget our insistence on freedom and beliefs
3. Cut off the sources of CCP funds:
* Carried out trade wars, raised tariffs, forced the companies and the investment to move out of China
* Provided preferential measures to assist US companies to move out of China
* Passed a bill that would prevent companies that refuse to open their books from listing on Wall Street. This move is aimed to "kick deceitful Chinese companies off US exchanges."
* Restrict the flow of funds through Hong Kong
* Directed federal pension fund to halt investments in Chinese stocks
* Imposed tariff sanctions on Chinese fake products
* Passed the Hong Kong Autonomy Act to require the imposition of sanctions on foreign individuals and banks that participate in China’s oppression of Hong Kong
4. Cut off the sources of high-tech technology and knowledge acquired by CCP, and eliminate the possibility of Made in China 2025:
* Boycotted ZTE, Huawei, and the Chinese companies which are related to the CCP and the PLA
* Block CCP's access to acquire the high-end chips
* Arrested the scholars and scientists involved in the Thousand Talents Program, and publicly condemned the Chinese Embassy accused to lead this program in the US
* Ordered a ban on issuing visas to the Chinese people, students and researchers with PLA background, in order to prevent Xi Jinping's "military-civilian integration strategy" from stealing US high technology
* Signed "National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)": published a list of individuals or companies that steal US trade secrets, threaten national security or economic health; Penalize the companies that steal technology, including freezing their US assets; Prohibit U.S. citizens from trading with these companies and individuals...and so on.
5. 5G:
* Barred American firms from selling tech and supplies to huawei without first obtaining a license to do so and restricted companies like TSMC, a Taiwan-based firm, from exporting computer chipsets and other key components to Huawei.
* At the same time, warned the world that Huawei products will pose a risk to their national securities. Now, the tide is turning against Huawei, many countries have given up using Huawei equipments on their 5G instructure.
* According to CNN, because of using huawei equipments, the Philippines' power grid is under the full control of the Chinese government and could be shut off in time of conflict
* Denied Google to use a direct connection between the US and Hong Kong, due to a significant risk to security
6. Indo-Pacific Strategy
* The United States is no longer just complaining about the content of China's expansion, but rather a strong will to execute. Li Xianlong from Singapore stated publicly that he hopes that Washington will not force Singapore and ASEAN to choose sides in the United States and China.
* The United States is deploying unprecedented military power in the Asia-Pacific region. Currently, the US military has 375,000 troops deployed in the Asia-Pacific region, accounting for 28% of the total US military strength, including 60% of naval ships, 55% of the army, and around 66% Marine Forces
* During the eight-year term of the former President Obama, only carried out four freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea. However, Trump has carried out 22 times in the four years so far, which is 11 times that of Obama.
7. Taiwan
* Ignoring CCP’s intimidation, the secretary of State Pompeo publically and officially called Tsai Ing-wen the President of Taiwan. Also, praised Taiwan’s contribution to democracy and freedom, and supported Taiwan’s accession to WHO and other international organizations
* Publicly announced Taiwan is the core partner of the US-Indo-Pacific Plan, and openly invited Taiwan to participate in August Joint Navy Exercise in South China Sea
* Reiterated the "Six Guarantees" for Taiwan in 2016
* Signed "Taipei Act": It aims to increase the scope of US relations with Taiwan and encourage other nations and international organizations to strengthen their official and unofficial ties with this nation
* Signed "Asian Reassurance Initiative Act 2018" : It aims to support the close economic, political, and security relationship between Taiwan and the United States, to faithfully enforce all existing United States Government commitments to Taiwan, to counter efforts to change the status quo and to support peaceful resolution acceptable to both sides of the Taiwan Strait, to conduct regular arms sales To Taiwan
* Signed "Taiwan Travel Law": It aims to encourage the travel of high level United States officials to Taiwan
8. Hong Kong
* In May 27, 2020, announced by the Secretary of State under the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act that Hong Kong no longer enjoys sufficient autonomy in order to justify special treatment by the US
* In May 28, 2020, announced that the United States would initiate the process of revoking Hong Kong’s favorable treatment under US law
* In July 1st, 2020, passed the Hong Kong Autonomy Act. It’s aimed to provide for mandatory sanctions against individuals, entities and financial institutions in response to China’s National Security Law for Hong Kong.
9. Xinjiang
* China has rounded up at least a million Uighurs in Xinjiang and imprisoned them in what it calls "re-education camps." An investigation found that most of the detainees were imprisoned due to their religious practices and culture, rather than extremist behavior.
* In October 2019, banned the import of products made by a firm in Xinjiang over its use of forced labor, also, blacklisted 28 Chinese entities for their role in the repression of Uighurs and issued visa restrictions on key Chinese officials
* In May 2020, added 33 companies to the United States’ economic blacklist of Chinese companies with ties to China’s military. The Commerce Department explained the banning of these companies, claiming that they are “complicit in human rights violations and abuses committed in China’s campaign of repression, mass arbitrary detention, forced labor and high-technology surveillance against Uighurs, ethnic Kazakhs, and other members of Muslim minority groups in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region.”
* In signed into a law an act authorizing sanctions against Chinese officials over the mass detention and surveillance of Uighur Muslims in China's western Xinjiang province. The new legislation is the most significant action by any country to punish China over its treatment of ethnic minorities.
10. Media:
* In February, require five Chinese state-run media organizations to register their personnel and property with the U.S. government, granting them a designation akin to diplomatic entities.The five organizations affected are Xinhua News Agency; China Global Television Network, previously known as CCTV; China Radio International; the parent company of China Daily newspaper; and the parent company of The People’s Daily newspaper. All five meet the definitions of "foreign missions" under the Foreign Missions Act, according to the State Department.
* In March, ordered several Chinese media organizations to dismiss 60 U.S.-based Chinese nationals
* In May, reduced the length of work visas for journalists from China employed by non-U.S. media will be to a maximum of 90 days. Chinese reporters can apply for extensions, each one also limited to 90 days
* In the end of May, after Trump's complained reminding, Twitter has flagged a tweet written in March by a Chinese government spokesman that the US military brought the novel Coronavirus to China, as the social media platform ramps up fact-checking of posts.
* In July, announced that four more Chinese media organizations will be treated as foreign diplomatic missions, including: China Central Television (CCTV), China News Service (China News Service), People’s Daily, and Global Times.
11. Before the epidemic, the US economic performance at the end of 2019
* Unemployment rate remains at 3.5%, a new low since 1969
* During Trump’s three years in power, U.S. stocks soared by more than 50%, ranking first among successive presidents
* Increased recruitment and rising wages have driven consumer spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of U.S. economic output, and its health has helped the economy maintain a stretch of growth that is now in its 11th year.
* In G7 in 2019, the United States is the only country with an economic growth rate of more than 2%
* As of December 2019, the U.S. economy has expanded for a record 126 straight months, the longest time period in the country’s history according to the National Bureau of Economic Research.
* The total market value of the US stock market climbed to a record, 1.5 times GDP
* In 2019, the strong American economy attracts investment from all over the world,bringing the dollar exchange rate to a record high
12. International organizations
* Loudly accused WHO of being very "China-centric" and withdrawn from the WHO by action and refusing to provide funds, the WHO finally admitted on June 30 that it was alerted by its own office in China, and not by China itself, to the first pneumonia cases in Wuhan.
* Trump is even considering to establish a new international health organization to allow the United States to have greater influence
* WTO Secretary-General suddenly resigned in May this year
* Trump even called for reform of outdated United Nations, implying that an new UN organization should based on the common value as democracy and freedom. Hence, he is starting to invite more democratic countries into G7
taiwan economy ranking 在 龍應台 - Lung Yingtai Facebook 的最佳解答
小編快報
《柏林脈動》(The Berlin Pulse) 今天出刊了。這是德國一年一度的外交及國際關係專刊。作者群包括學者、智庫專家、政府官員。
這一期談歐洲問題的作者有波蘭外長、Moldova 總理、德國國防部長等等等。
今年《脈動》特別做了中國專題,作者有五位,分別是:
中國的全國人大外事委員會副主任委員傅瑩、日本眾議會議員Minora Kiuchi、巴黎的中國問題專家Francois Godement、曾任澳洲駐華大使,現任外交及貿易秘書長的Frances Adamson,以及台灣的龍應台。
德國編輯在文末放了一個德國的民意調查圖表,提問是:「面對中國,你認為德國應該更強力保護自己的政治利益,即使犧牲經濟利益?」
答案:贊成 76%
反對 19%
小編把龍應台文章翻譯成中文,跟讀者分享。英文原文附在後面。如果嫌我翻譯得不好,那那那,那表示你英文很好,你就看英文吧......
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兩千三百萬人在獨木舟上
——為什麼歐洲應該關切台灣的未來
反對黨公布2020總統候選人名單的那一天,我在台北和知識圈的朋友們午餐。那悲觀的,用問句來表達自己的悲觀,譬如,「你覺得台灣還有多少年?」那樂觀的,用黑色幽默來表達樂觀,譬如,「感謝老天。香港讓他們太忙了,沒時間管台灣。」
跟德國一樣,台灣對中國大陸和香港的貿易順差,在2018年是831億美元。百分之四十一的對外貿易針對中國,中國大陸市場對台灣的重要不言而喻。然而,隨著近年來台灣海峽兩岸的關係緊張,反對黨(國民黨) 憂慮市場的優勢無法持續,而執政黨(民進黨) 則選擇強化選民對北京的不信任來抵制中國的影響力。執政黨最近提出的國安新法可能將任何被認定為為中國宣傳者入罪。
和歐洲一樣,台灣人對中國的感受也是複雜的。 當中國代表的是活躍的經濟機會時,很多台灣人就容易所謂「親中」,當中國代表的是壓迫和可能的入侵時,很多台灣人就是所謂的「反中」。問題是,中國兩者兼備。後果就是,台灣內部的分歧遠遠超過了僅只是政治和經濟的層面。
如果你知道台灣是如何一路走來的,你會覺得它今天變成一個民主社會真是一個不得了的成就。沒有革命,一黨獨裁四十年的國民黨,不管你說它是自願還是被迫,放下了政權,分享權力。沒有流血,昔日牢裡的政治犯變成今日的立法者和政治領袖。1987年解嚴以後,政權的交替基本上公平而有序地進行了三十年。
台灣安靜地進行了三十年的民主,時間幾乎和它的國際孤立一樣長。美國不承認台灣的國家地位,但是,就如同當年對於德國,美國也扮演了安全守護者的角色。令人不安的是,在美國宣布要把軍售台灣常態化的同時,中國也宣布,它在台灣海峽及其領空,要把軍艦和戰機的演習常態化。
所以台灣民主的威脅其實是雙重的。比較明顯的是中國的威脅,這個威脅,往往超出台灣本身的控制能力。一個不那麼明顯的威脅,卻是內部自製的。台灣的政治人物和政黨熱切拿這個威脅做為政治資本,刺激集體恐懼來強化部落式的愛國主義。這種操作的成功,對台灣的民主制度和機構本身,是個真實的危險。
國際上那些純粹為了攻擊中國而故意把台灣捧在手心讚美的人,其實讓我坐立不安。一代又一代的台灣人為民主付出了代價,很大的代價,而得到今天的成果。這個成果,太珍貴了,不可以變成別人或別國為了自己的利益而拿來玩弄的籌碼或棋子。
德國的歷史是特殊的。德國的人民親身目睹了,如果不戒慎恐懼地去維護,一個開放合理的社會制度是如何容易地瓦解,一夜之間可以被獨裁取代。經歷了二戰,又擺脫了共產黨的歷史爭取到自由,德國可能比很多其他國家更容易理解台灣人的困境和追求。道德勇氣的來源往往是歷史的痛苦。身為歐盟的重要成員,德國有責任為世界的和平做出最大的努力,發揮最大的影響力。
但是,歐洲憑什麼一定要關心台灣呢?
首先,如果沒有台灣模式,全世界大概就都得接受一種說法,就是,儒家文化和民主制度是無法相容的,而所謂「中國模式」就是唯一邏輯、不可避免的現代中國。台灣的存在證明了一件事:未必如此。
第二,台灣本身的努力值得世界的尊敬。沒錯,如果中國是一艘航空母艦,那麼台灣只不過是一葉孤零零的獨木舟。可是在這個獨木舟上有兩千三百萬人正在追求一種有自由、有尊嚴的生活方式。如果台灣是歐盟的一個成員,就人口論,台灣就是二十八個成員國(英國脫歐後二十七國)中第七大國,比波蘭稍小,但比荷蘭和比利時大。以經濟購買力來看,台灣更是名列全球第二十二。所以,歐洲可以想像剝奪波蘭人或者荷蘭人對生活方式和政治體制的選擇權利嗎?
23 Million People on a Canoe
—Why Europe should care about Taiwan’s future
Lung Yingtai
On the day when the opposition party announced its presidential candidate for the 2020 election, I was sitting at a lunch table in Taipei listening to my intellectual friends uttering their concerns about the future of Taiwan. The pessimists phrased their pessimism in the form of questions such as “How many years do you think Taiwan has left?” The optimists expressed their optimism with dark humour, “Thank God they will be too busy with Hong Kong and the US for a while.”
Like Germany, Taiwan operates a trade surplus with mainland China and Hong Kong, amounting to $83.1 billion in 2018. With 41% of Taiwan’s exports going to China, Taipei’s economy depends on trade with the mainland. However, given the increasing tension across the Taiwan Strait, the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) in particular has been worrying whether Taiwan will be able to sustain these figures. The ruling Democratic Progressive Party, on the other hand, is capitalizing on voters’ intense distrust of Beijing, stepping up measures to “contain” China’s influence. Taipei recently drafted a national security law that would make it a punishable offense to spread “political propaganda” for China.
As in Europe, Taiwanese feel highly ambivalent about mainland China: When China signifies economic opportunities, most Taiwanese are 23 Million People on a Canoe Why Europe should care about Taiwan’s future “pro-China”; when China represents oppression and potential invasion, most Taiwanese are “anti-China”. The problem is that China resembles both. The result is a deep division among Taiwanese extending far beyond the political and economic spheres.
Given the circumstances under which Taiwan emerged and evolved, its evolution into an authentic democracy represents an extraordinary achievement. It was without a revolution that the KMT, which had ruled Taiwan for more than 40 years, put an end to martial law and, whether convinced or compelled to act, opened the country’s political system to sharing power. Without bloodshed, dissidents who had once sat in jails became legislators and political leaders. Since the lifting of martial law 1987, power has changed hands fairly and orderly, following the results of each election.
Taiwan has been a quiet democracy for more than thirty years, nearly as long as the four decades during which it has been isolated by the international community. The US does not formally recognize Taiwan but, as with Germany, acts as the country’s security guarantor. While Washington has indicated that arms sales to Taiwan will become more of a routine, China has devised a routine of its own by holding long-range combat drills and ordering its fighter jets to cross the maritime line.
However, the threat to Taiwanese democracy is twofold. The obvious one comes from China, and to a large extent lies beyond Taipei’s control. The less obvious threat is home-made, as the looming China threat tempts domestic politicians to mobilize the population’s collective fear to foment a tribal nationalism. Their success would pose a real danger to Taiwan’s democratic institutions.
Those who applaud Taiwanese democracy for the sole purpose of criticizing China make me nervous. Generations of Taiwanese fought and ultimately achieved a democracy – it is simply too precious for other people’s agendas, internal or external.
Germany has a unique history: its people have experienced first-hand how easily democratic institutions may fall apart when not meticulously guarded. Having received democracy as a gift following World War II and struggled to regain their freedom from Communist rule, Germans are in a unique position to understand both the predicament as well as the aspirations of the Taiwanese. Moral courage often comes from past sufferings. As a leading EU member state, Germany has a responsibility to maximize its own efforts as well as to influence others’ efforts for world peace.
But why should the world care about the future of Taiwan? First of all, save the Taiwan model, the world might have to accept the claim that democracy and Confucianism are incompatible, and that a communist China presents the only logical and inevitable path to modernity. Secondly, Taiwan deserves respect on its own merits. True, if China were an aircraft carrier, Taiwan would be a lone canoe. But standing on this canoe are 23 million people aspiring for a life with liberty and dignity. If it were an EU member, Taiwan would be the 7th largest of the Union’s 28 member-states (27 after Brexit), smaller than Poland but larger than the Netherlands or Belgium, with a developed economy ranking 22nd in the world by purchasing power parity. Do we really want to return to a world in which it is imaginable that countries such as Poland or the Netherlands should be deprived of their autonomy to determine their own way of life and political system?
The Berlin Pulse 2019
龍應台專文:https://www.koerber-stiftung.de/fileadmin/user_upload/koerber-stiftung/redaktion/the-berlin-pulse/pdf/2019/3_Koerber_TheBerlinPulse_YingTai.pdf
全本:https://www.koerber-stiftung.de/fileadmin/user_upload/koerber-stiftung/redaktion/the-berlin-pulse/pdf/2019/TheBerlinPulse_2019_FINAL.pdf
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