• In Taiwan elections the pro-independence party suffered material set backs.
• On Saturday 29th January, 2005, commercial flights between Taiwan and China, in abeyance for 55 years, were resumed.

    Despite the points above, there are some Dominicans who are so foolishly presumptuous as to believe we should foster disunity among the Chinese. Frankly, we only succeed in making an ass of ourselves.

    Our quarrel in that matter is a manifestation of our economic status; a powerlessness that arises from our "hard-upcy." So when we had excellent relations with ROC they demanded that it must be to the exclusion of relations with PRC. Now we have relations with PRC, the latter insists it must be to the exclusion of ROC.

    One country can dictate to another only where the partners in the relationship are not perceived as equals. So that, the United States, Japan and the European Union, very conveniently trade with both PRC and ROC. Neither PRC nor ROC dare say to America or Europe: "We have excellent relations between our countries, yet a minority of your citizens continue to relate to Taiwan or to China." They say this to Dominica because they see us as beggars; just as we see ourselves.

    This view of us will continue until we learn (and practise) something from the Chinese work ethic. In that interview with ROC's Dr. Daniel Liao to which I referred above, he said in their country they worked 14 or 15 hours daily. I believe if we all work half as hard and become productive for self and country, our damned mendicant attitude will eventually cease, and we should gain respect.

    Today I challenge all our politicians to cast out the frivolities of the political platform and find some room on their agenda to debate production and productivity. This is the way to win back our self respect - assuming we ever had any pride in the first pace.

    The current PRC ambassador to Dominica obviously made a major mistake: it is poor diplomacy to speak as he did even to beggars to whom some assistance is provided. The Prime Minister should call him in and offer his entourage and him a crash course about us, our "democracy" and "freedoms". We have those trained in international relations who can impart such knowledge; people like Mr. Wolsey Louis, Mrs. Celia Nicholas and Mrs. Judith Pestaina.

    I use quotation marks because I very much doubt that we can enjoy true democracy and freedom if we continue to depend on hand-outs and refuse to pick up our own bed and walk. Once we remain non-productive, going from China to China is falling from the frying pan into the frying pan.

    Whose side are we on?

    Forget the naïve and superficial position that ROC is good and PRC is bad; or vice versa. They are all basically nice Chinese people. Let us do a drastic summary of the available literature.

    PRC has 1,275 million people, ROC has 23 million. Whether they came six hundred years ago, or fifty-five years ago, 98% of ROC's population are Chinese that came from PRC. So that, e.g., you do not hear ROC complaining to end a colonial relationship in which PRC is the colonizer. It is not a Caribbean-type experience that is involved there.

    There is a United Nations (UN) committee on decolonization which would have, say, Montserrat and BVI on its agenda, but not ROC. Indeed ROC (historically) was a member of the UN; it lost its place to PRC which was considered the more rational, valid entity to hold membership. The argument must have been that the part should not be greater than the whole; the tail should not wag the dog.

    Since losing its seat at the UN, ROC has fostered diplomatic relations with several states, especially small ones. Remove the consular cosmetics; in plain language, ROC has given such states some assistance - which may or may not be adequate - in consideration of the latter pleading each year for ROC to be re-admitted to membership of the UN, side by side with PRC.

    Nonsense, says PRC. ROC is part of our territory that improperly revolted and broke away 55 years ago.

    The industrial-military complex of the United States sells jet bombers to ROC. Meanwhile the American government grants PRC most favoured nation status: the Americans must not lose out in the race to sell goods to say, 1.3 billion Chinese.

    PRC protests against US sales of military hardware to ROC. US says, we will not look favourably on any PRC attack on ROC. Bush also says bluntly to ROC, you guys, please do not provoke conflict by declaring independence. Go settle your differences by peaceful means!!!

    This position taken by the sole superpower and echoed by the European Union, Japan and other rich nations, creates a vacuum: Dominica must fill that vacuum. In the unlikely event of ROC and PRC coming to blows, let us quarrel among ourselves: For which China must we flex our military muscle?

    Both red and blue, let us stop this political pappyshow of ourselves and of our country. Our military or economic might is an illusion and a false hope.

    If we angrily cut through the nonsense, let us soberly and sanely define the issues:

1. It is believed much of the confusion arose from fears about who is financing whose election campaign. Let there be campaign finance laws. If source and quantum of campaign contributions must be disclosed, then there must be equal opportunity transparency for all parties.
2. The issue as to whether PRC pledged US$300m or very materially less should not be left to opinion. It is a question of fact. If a mistake was made, let it be admitted and let us move on.
3. It is more rational to have diplomatic relations with PRC than not to have. So the Prime Minister is right. But the PRC man made a mistake which should not be repeated.