Lee Yuan-tseh's Open Letter

Here is the relevant biography of Lee Yuan-tseh (via Wikipedia):

Lee Yuan-tseh (born November 19, 1936) is a famous chemist. He was the first Taiwanese-born Nobel Prize laureate, who, along with the German-Canadian John C. Polanyi and American Dudley R. Herschbach won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1986 "for their contributions to the dynamics of chemical elementary processes."

Lee Yuan-tseh played an important role during the 2000 ROC Presidential election. On the last week of the election he announced his support for the candidacy of Chen Shui-bian who subsequently won a narrow victory over James Soong. Chen intended to nominate Lee to become Premier, but Lee declined after deliberating for a few days. Lee has been the President of the Academia Sinica since 1994 and renounced his U.S. citizenship to take the post.

Thus, as the person who put Chen Shui-bian into the presidency, Lee Yuan-tseh has been under public pressure to state his position in the current political crisis.  Lee had managed to stay silent until today's open letter.


(China Times)  Lee Yuan-tseh's Open Letter:

[in translation]

I am presently in Paris attending an international scientific committee conference called by the Israel-Palestine Scientific Organization.  This conference enabled me to re-visit the tragic histories of Israel and Palestine and I am deeply touched.  The Israelis and Palestinians are peoples with glorious histories that are filled with tragedies.  Over the decades, these two peoples have been immersed in hardship but they never abandoned their quest for their ideals and they each made terrible sacrifices.  They committed serious mistakes, but they were willing to reflect and repent continuously and then re-start to move towards even loftier ideals.  The fates of the Israelis and Palestinians are inseparable, and together they weave a magnificent epic poem laden with blood and tears.

The histories of the Israelis and Palestinians have stayed deep in my heart since when I was young.  It reminded me of my beloved Taiwan.  Taiwan is not Israel, and it is not Palestine.  But Taiwan has its own tragic history and it has encountered its own set of hardships.  Taiwan has never abandoned its ideal and it has made terrible sacrifices.  During the process of seeking the ideal, it has erred and committed serious mistakes  As a scientific worker, I am surprised at the similarity of the historical evolution of different peoples.

My beloved Taiwan is presently facing a major historical challenge.  The case of the state affairs fund and the indictments made by the prosecutor are impacting society in Taiwan.  This is the most serious crisis since Taiwan moved into the democratic era.

The deep significance is that this crisis represents the democratic results of the changing of the ruling political party.  Prior to the changing of the ruling party, it was difficult to imagine that the sitting president could be investigated by the justice department and the First Lady be prosecuted.  Yet today, the justice department has shown a spirit of independence that has hitherto never been seen in the history of Taiwan.  The investigation or prosecution of the First Family does not imply that they are guilty, but this is already a huge step in the independence of the justice system in Taiwan.  This is the best result of the changing of the ruling party in 2000.

The changing of the ruling party reflects the fact that the Taiwan people were seeking a brighter and better democratic life.  The pursuit of democracy is an unending quest for the people of Taiwan, and clean politics is the core value of democratic politics.

In 2000, the people of Taiwan were willing to support the changing of the ruling party.  People were looking for change and they wanted to break away from the corruption and 'black gold' politics during the fifty-year rule of the Kuomintang.  Political parties are organizations of people.  People are not angels, and they will make mistakes.  Thus, all political parties will make mistakes.  Any political party that does not think it ever makes mistakes is necessarily lying.  Therefore, the emphasis is not about making mistakes; it is about correcting the mistakes and improve as a result.  The lesson during the 2000 change of ruling party informed us that a corrupt political party that does not know how to change will be forsaken by the people.  Conversely, a political party that adheres to the core values of democracy, acknowledges its mistakes and courageously changes for the better will be supported and loved by the people.

The publication of the indictments in the case of the state affairs fund means that the reform of the old system in Taiwan and the building of core democratic political values are now facing a severe challenge.  This challenge forces the government, ruling party and the people of Taiwan to stand at the crossroads of a historical choice.  If President Chen and the ruling party do not want to abandon the core values of democratic politics and if they do not want to abandon the unending quest for democracy by the people of Taiwan, then President Chen and the ruling party must make a proper choice between "the greater self" and "the smaller self," between "political party" and "nation."  Thus, at this moment, I sincerely recommend: President Chen needs to carefully consider the question of staying/going.

The correct path is not necessarily the easiest one.  Often, it is a thorny, bumpy path, but it is also the only one that is worth to clear for the sake of our descendants in Taiwan.  The basic factors to determine the destiny of Taiwan is to love this piece of earth, to love the people here and to love this nation in the proper manner.  I never believe that "I must support my country, right or wrong."  I always feel that when my country does right, it will be able to survive and enjoy the bountiful fruits of civilization.

God bless Taiwan.

Lee Yuan-tseh.  Paris.  November 9, 2006.


李遠哲公開信全文如下:

我目前身在巴黎,参加由『以色列巴勒斯坦科学组织』召开的国际科学委员会议。这个会议让我有机会重温以色列与巴勒斯坦的苦难历史,心中因此深有感怀。以色列与巴勒斯坦是两个充满悲情但有著伟大历史的民族,数十年来,这两个民族虽深陷艰困的环境,却从不放弃追寻自己的理想,并各自做出惊人的牺牲,也犯过严重的错误,只不过他们肯在错误中不断反省、悔过,然后重新出发,攀向更高远的理想。以色列人与巴勒斯坦人的命运是无法分割的,彼此共同编织出一部充满血泪的伟大史诗。

以色列人与巴勒斯坦人的历史,自小就一再触动我的心灵深处,使我不时想到我挚爱的台湾。台湾既不是以色列,也不是巴勒斯坦,但台湾同样有过自己的苦难历史,遭遇过艰困的环境,也从不放弃追寻自己的理想,并为此做出惊人的牺牲,而在追寻理想的过程中也曾不慎失足,犯过严重的错误。作为一个科学工作者,我惊讶于不同人类群体历史演进的相似性。

我所挚爱的台湾目前正遭遇著严峻的历史挑战。纷扰全台的国务机要费案与检方的起诉书正冲击著台湾的社会。这是台湾进入民主时代以来最严重的危机。

在深层的意义上,这场危机是台湾首度实现政党轮替的民主果实。在二ΟΟΟ年政党轮替之前,现任总统被司法机关调查与第一夫人遭到起诉,根本是难以想像的事。而在今天,司法机关展现了台湾历史上未曾有过的独立精神。第一家庭被调查或被起诉,虽在法律上并不代表定罪,但这是台湾司法迈出独立的一大步,也是二ΟΟΟ年政党轮替的伟大果实。

政党轮替是台湾人民追求更光明、更优质民主生活的体现。追求民主是台湾人民永不中止的理想,而廉政是民主政治的核心价值。

ΟΟΟ年时台湾人民愿意支持政党轮替,正是因为当时人心思变,决心唾弃国民党长达五十年执政所造成的贪腐与黑金政治。政党是人类的集社,人类毕竟不是天使,因此不可能不犯错,自然也就没有不犯错的政党。自认为绝不犯错的政党,必然是说谎的政党。因此重点不是犯错,而是知过能改,并且改过迁善。二ΟΟΟ年政党轮替的教训告诉我们,在贪腐中不知悔改的政党,必然会遭到人民唾弃。反之,愿意坚守民主的核心价值,承认错误,勇于改过的政党,才会获得人民的支持与祝福。

以色列人与巴勒斯坦人的历史,自小就一再触动我的心灵深处,使我不时想到我挚爱的台湾。台湾既不是以色列,也不是巴勒斯坦,但台湾同样有过自己的苦难历史,遭遇过艰困的环境,也从不放弃追寻自己的理想,并为此做出惊人的牺牲,而在追寻理想的过程中也曾不慎失足,犯过严重的错误。作为一个科学工作者,我惊讶于不同人类群体历史演进的相似性。

我所挚爱的台湾目前正遭遇著严峻的历史挑战。纷扰全台的国务机要费案与检方的起诉书正冲击著台湾的社会。这是台湾进入民主时代以来最严重的危机。

在深层的意义上,这场危机是台湾首度实现政党轮替的民主果实。在二ΟΟΟ年政党轮替之前,现任总统被司法机关调查与第一夫人遭到起诉,根本是难以想像的事。而在今天,司法机关展现了台湾历史上未曾有过的独立精神。第一家庭被调查或被起诉,虽在法律上并不代表定罪,但这是台湾司法迈出独立的一大步,也是二ΟΟΟ年政党轮替的伟大果实。

政党轮替是台湾人民追求更光明、更优质民主生活的体现。追求民主是台湾人民永不中止的理想,而廉政是民主政治的核心价值。

二ΟΟΟ年时台湾人民愿意支持政党轮替,正是因为当时人心思变,决心唾弃国民党长达五十年执政所造成的贪腐与黑金政治。政党是人类的集社,人类毕竟不是天使,因此不可能不犯错,自然也就没有不犯错的政党。自认为绝不犯错的政党,必然是说谎的政党。因此重点不是犯错,而是知过能改,并且改过迁善。二ΟΟΟ年政党轮替的教训告诉我们,在贪腐中不知悔改的政党,必然会遭到人民唾弃。反之,愿意坚守民主的核心价值,承认错误,勇于改过的政党,才会获得人民的支持与祝福。

日前国务机要费案起诉书的公布,意味著台湾旧体制的改革与民主政治核心价值的建立正遭遇严峻的挑战。这个挑战让台湾的政府、执政党与人民被迫站在历史抉择的十字路口。如果陈总统与执政党仍无意放弃民主政治的核心价值,无意背弃台湾人民对民主政治永不中止的理想,那么陈总统与执政党就必需在「小我」与「大我」、「政党」与「国家」之间,做出正确的抉择。因此,值此时刻,我诚恳建议: 陈总统有必要慎重考虑去留的问题。

正确的道路不一定是坦途,反而往往是充满荆棘、崎岖难行的道路,但那也是唯一一条值得为台湾与我们的后代子孙开辟的道路。决定台湾命运的根本因素,是用正确的方式爱这块土地,爱这里的人民,以及爱这个国家。我从不认为,「无论对或错,我都必须支持自己的国家。」我总觉得,只有当我的国家做对时,我的国家才能够生存下来,并且享受文明的繁茂果实。

天佑台湾。

李远哲 于巴黎二ΟΟΟ六年十一月九日