Taiwan, the Mainland Affairs Council and the Flag: More Am I Missing Something?

Saturday February 26, by Jerome F. Keating Ph.D.

Chen Yun-lin is in town and is getting his share of protesters. The Straits Exchange Foundation and Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait have been trying to iron out matters on ECFA, but we are reminded of past meetings and the statement of the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) last December. At that time they suggested that people should not be apprehended if they bring the national flag to the cross-strait talks. The burning question however is, "Who is the MAC talking to?" Why does the MAC feel they have to explain that it should be OK for the national flag, which represents the country, to have that flag present at talks that involve the country of Taiwan and are held in Taiwan?

Why does the obvious need to be said? Who is protesting that the country's flag should not be there? Who is the MAC talking to?

Once again the humiliating and absurd policies of Ma Ying-joke's peace-at-any-price efforts are exposed. It was under the orders of Ma's lackeys that those who held the flag at past visits of Chen Yun-lin and other delegations from China were beaten and harassed. There is no need to talk to the citizens to justify that the nation's flag be at those meetings. Yet isn't it strange that Ma's MAC has to tell Ma's people that since the flag represents the country it should be there. Am I missing something? Just whose side is Ma and those who follow his direction on?