Taiwan's democracy

This is in response to an article entitled Taiwan's democracy and China by Mr. Masaru Maruyama which appeared on page four of The Jakarta Post's Oct. 18, 1995 edition.

To be exact, ROC's first direct presidential election is scheduled for March 23, 1996, and President Lee Teng-hui has six challengers instead of four in the election. They are Peng Ming- min from the Democratic Progressive Party and Wang Chien-shien from the New Party. The other four who will run as independents are Chen Li-an, former Control Yuan (the highest control body of the State) president; Lin Yang-kang, presidential adviser and vice chairman of the ruling party Koumintang; Shih Chi-ching, a feminist and high school teacher; and Kander Lee, the head of an art business conglomerate.

Mr. Peng Ming-min, 72, comes from an affluent Taiwanese family and was educated in Taiwan, Japan, Canada and France. President Lee Teng-hui, born in Taiwan on Jan. 15, 1923, received his education in Taiwan, Japan and the United States. They are similar in some respects. The contest between them is an election between native sons, not an "election between Japanese" as Mr. Maruyama wrongly stated and about which few people of Taiwan would feel comfortable. Mr. Maruyama's mentality of supremacy as a Japanese will lead Japan to nowhere.

And Japan's ties with Taiwan is not close enough to demand that the Japanese have to hold their breath from now until March 23, 1996. Japan is in no position to step into Taiwan's presidential election. What we want the Japanese to do is stand ring-side and applaud.

The democratization of Taiwan should be desirable to mainland China as it will do good for the Chinese people as a whole in the long run. The authorities on the mainland should view it with appreciation instead of apprehension.

DAVID Y.S. TZOU

Information Director

Taipei Economic & Trade Office

Jakarta