現代版本的唐吉訶德式英雄(with English translation)

據台灣《自由時報》11月28日報導，寓居美國的台灣中研院院士余英時教授11月下旬就壹傳媒併購事，給台灣反對併購的學生組織發來傳真，表達了強烈的反對意見。余英時的反對意見聳動台灣朝野視聽，頗為民進黨人士重視。余英時先生是歷史學教授，耄耋之年，對台灣發生的事情如此關注，令人動容。

所謂壹傳媒併購，是生意場上一件普通的新聞媒體產業併購事件，是普通的純粹的商業行為。寓居美國的歷史學教授對一件普通的商業行為如此動怒，是何緣由呢？

據台灣《聯合報》28日報導，在幾經反覆之後，香港壹傳媒集團出售旗下台灣紙質媒體和壹電視交易案28日凌晨在澳門完成簽約，包括中國信託慈善基金會董事長辜仲諒、台塑集團總裁王文淵、旺旺中時集團總經理蔡紹中在內的五位買家，成為壹傳媒所轄島內媒體的新東家。五家中，還有龍巖董事長李世聰、台灣產險董事長李泰宏。《自由時報》認為，龍巖和產險未在中國大陸投資。

這件併購案尚未最後定案，還需要得到台灣官方審查批准和香港壹傳媒股東會通過。儘管如此，台灣民間一些大學生發起抗議，要求台灣當局拒絕批准。余英時教授發來傳真支援學生抗議，猶如火上澆油。

余教授傳真函裡提出的反對理由是：「中共通過台商收購媒體，在台灣進行全面瓦解人心的活動，已經達到了明目張膽的地步。」他在答覆《自由時報》記者電話採訪時說的是：「這件事之所以嚴重，是因為台灣媒體幾乎都給台商買掉了，而這些人都在中國賺錢。」他還說：他「關心台灣，不願意台灣落到共產黨手上。」

五位併購商人中，有三位在大陸有投資，是所謂台商。台商賺了錢，回饋台灣，不正是台灣所需要的嗎？回饋台灣的台商，就是大陸資本嗎？台商＝陸資，令人哭笑不得。要建立台商＝陸資這種聯繫，余院士能拿出什麼根據來呢？任何根據都拿不出來。歷史學研究最重證據，所謂孤證不立，所謂二重證據法，就是說沒有充分的證據，任何結論都是不可靠的。這是歷史學研究的常識，余教授能不懂嗎？把台商＝陸資，連孤證也舉不出來，更不用說二重證據了。如果余教授的論點能夠成立，大陸台商代表了大陸資本，幾十萬大陸台商的資本有多大呢？豈不是等於把台灣都買下來了!?大陸台資的真實數量，我們很難得出一個絕對準確的數字。一般估計，至2007年底，約八萬家、1,000億美元。島內一些專家根據匯出資金的數量，判定約1,500億美元進入大陸。據台灣經濟事務主管部門統計，2011年共核准對大陸投資131億美元。這樣多投資，加上歷年利潤，擴大再生產所形成的固定資產，台商的資產是多少，我算不出來。

依大陸商務部統計，2008年，兩岸貿易總額為1,292.2億美元，年增長3.8%；其中，大陸對台出口258.8億美元，同比增長10.3%；從台進口1,033.4億美元，同比增長2.3%；大陸對台貿易逆差達775億美元。反過來說，台灣對大陸貿易順差達到775億美元。

數據證明：大陸為台灣第一大交易夥伴和第一大出口市場，是帶動台灣經濟增長的最重要源泉。早在1994年，台灣「財政部證管會」對上市公司在大陸投資的統計，其獲利公司家數和金額均大幅增加。台資企業獲利面擴大，其盈利對母公司的貢獻也相應增大。據台「經濟部」的調查分析，在台灣已有基礎的企業到大陸投資90%以上能賺錢。

台商在大陸投資收益匯回台灣趨勢明顯。2012年初，台灣經濟事務主管部門的分析報告指出，「登陸」的台商在大陸的投資，已成為台灣母公司收益的重要來源。據統計，2011年前三季度，台灣上市、上櫃公司認列大陸收益合計達1,183億元新台幣，其中匯回台灣的投資收益合計達136億元新台幣；歷年累計匯回台灣的收益達1,120億元新台幣。 台商匯回台灣的錢，僅2011年前三個季度就達到136億新台幣，歷年匯回台灣的錢達到1,120億新台幣。這是一筆何等巨大的經濟收益。用這筆錢可以買下多少類似於壹傳媒報紙或者視頻？說這筆錢都是大陸資本，誰會相信呢？如果這筆錢都是大陸資本，還需要海基會、海協會反覆討論大陸資本入台的提案嗎？

余院士宣稱，由於參與併購的旺旺中時集團九成收入來自大陸，顯示大陸「通過台商收購媒體」。如上所述，即使旺旺中時集團九成收入來自大陸，就能判斷旺旺中時集團是大陸資本嗎？就能判斷大陸通過旺旺中時集團收購台灣媒體嗎？如果這個理論能夠成立，歷年匯回台灣的1,120億新台幣，又收購了多少台灣媒體呢？

如果台商的資本都是大陸資本，李登輝時期、陳水扁時期直到馬英九時期的台灣當局，不都是笨蛋嗎？那還談什麼「台獨」、「獨台」和「一邊一國」呢？那還談什麼「一中各表」呢？ 如果台商的資本都是大陸資本，有多少綠色台商把從大陸賺到的錢匯回台灣，支持了民進黨，支持了《自由時報》呢？又有多少民進黨人士在大陸經商呢？今天的民進黨不還是在堅持《台灣前途決議文》嗎？《自由時報》不還是在宣傳「台獨」理念嗎？不久前謝長廷的大陸之行在民進黨內部不還是在進行辯論，還遠沒有達到一個比較正面的評價嗎？

這樣說來，余英時所說「中共通過台商收購媒體，在台灣進行全面瓦解人心的活動，已經達到了明目張膽的地步」，是不是一種聳人聽聞的宣傳呢？請問：目前在台灣，哪一家媒體是中共通過台商收購的，在台灣進行著瓦解人心的活動，且已達到明目張膽的地步呢？是《自由時報》還是《中國時報》？

余英時說：「台灣媒體幾乎都給台商買掉了，而這些人都在中國賺錢」。除了尚未定案的壹傳媒以外，余院士可否指證台灣任何一家媒體是被在中國大陸賺了錢的台商買走了？可以請民進黨人士或者任何願意維護台灣新聞自由的人士到台灣檢調部門提告嘛。

余英時似乎在關心台灣的新聞自由。台灣作為一個發展中的民主社會，今天的新聞自由有任何變化嗎？今天的報紙言論與蔣經國解嚴後的言論不是更自由了嗎？台灣社會有藍色、有綠色、有橘黃色，媒體反映了不同的顏色，就是沒有反映紅色的言論。罵馬英九的有，罵陳水扁的有，罵共產黨的有，罵「一國兩制」的有。何曾有哪家媒體因為被在中國大陸賺了錢的台商買走了而改變言論顏色的？

所謂「中共通過台商收購媒體，在台灣進行全面瓦解人心的活動」也罷，所謂「台灣媒體幾乎都給台商買掉了，而這些人都在中國賺錢」也罷，所謂「關心台灣，不願意台灣落到共產黨手上」也罷，都不過是余院士的宣傳手段，一種噱頭，不過是現代版的堂吉訶德式的刺殺罷了。這是一種找不到真正刺殺對象的「英雄」式的行為，卻產生不了實際的效果。余教授反共，這是他的自由，但是反共也要有一點本事啊，也要一點真憑實據啊！以莫須有的手段反共，反不到共產黨，只能反到自己。一個頗有名氣的歷史學教授，以強烈的反共意識型態攻擊台商，會有好果子吃嗎？

余英時說他關心台灣，這一點我不懷疑。但是，把大陸台商當成大陸資本，把參與收購壹傳媒的台商說成是受到共產黨操縱，把台商收購的台灣媒體說成是「在台灣進行全面瓦解人心的活動」，是愛護台灣嗎？是保護台灣的新聞自由嗎？

2008年馬英九取得台灣執政權力後，由於2005年胡連會達成的「五項願景」成為中國國民黨十八大的黨綱，由於台灣當局承認「九二共識」，台海兩岸關係有了積極的發展，經濟交往、人員往來、文化交流，一片和平景象。但是，國際經濟危機尚未過去，台灣的經濟發展還有困難。大陸台商在積極挽救台灣的經濟，把大陸獲得的收益輸回台灣，為台灣的經濟不景氣輸血，這有什麼不好呢？愛台灣，就要支持台商在大陸的經營，而不是把他們染紅，嚇阻他們發展經濟的努力。

對某個社會事件表達不同意見，本是十分正常的事。我並不反對余英時院士就壹傳媒收購事發表意見。但是，無論是支持還是反對，都要有根據。尤其是作為歷史學家的余英時先生，如果口無遮攔，任憑政治意識型態作祟，只會大大影響作為著名歷史學家的聲譽。◆

A Modern Day Don Quixote On Yu Ying-shih』s Fax About Acquisition Of Next Media (Taiwan)

by Zhang Haipeng(張海鵬)

Director of Taiwan Historical Studies Centre, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences

On Nov.28, Liberty Times in Taiwan reported that Yu Ying-shih(余英時),who currently lives in the USA and is an academician at Taiwan』s Academia Sinica, sent a fax to the student-led Anti-media Monopoly Movement in late November, expressing his strong opposition to the takeover of the Next Media (Taiwan) outlets by conglomerate tycoons. Yu Yin-shih』s opinion against the purchase caused quite a stir in Taiwan and was welcomed by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). Yu Yin-shih is a venerable historian, and it is truly inspiring that he has voiced deep concerns over things happened in Taiwan.

Acquisition of Next Media (Taiwan) is a business deal, a purely commercial transaction, and it』s common in the media industry. What makes a professor of history, who is residing in the USA, so angry about a common commercial transaction?

According to news reports by Taiwan』s United Daily News on Nov.28, after many delays, Hong Kong Next Media Ltd. signed a contract in Macao in the early morning of Nov.28 to sell its Taiwan print and television operations. Five investors, including Chinatrust Charity Foundation chairman Jeffrey Koo, Jr.(辜仲諒),Formosa Plastic Group chairman William Wang(王文淵) and Want Want China Times Group President Tsai Shao-chung(蔡紹中), will become the new owners of Next Media (Taiwan). The other members of the buyers』 group are David Lee(李世聰),chairman of Lung Yen Life Services Corp., and Steve Lee(李泰宏),chairman of Taiwan Fire & Marine Insurance Co.. Liberty Times believes neither Lung Yen Life Services nor Taiwan Fire & Marine Insurance has investment in mainland China.

The deal has not been finalized and is subject to approval by Taiwan』s regulators and Hong Kong Next Media 』s shareholders. However, some college students in Taiwan staged protests against the purchase, asking Taiwan authorities not to grant approval. And Professor Yu Ying-shih sent fax in support of student protests, it was just like pouring oil on the fire.

Prof. Yu mentioned in the fax that the reason he is against the acquisition, by claiming that 「Communist China is paralyzing the people』s aspirations in Taiwan by merging Taiwan』s news organizations through Taiwanese businessmen in a flagrant way." And while answering Liberty Times reporter』s telephone interview, he said, 「The matter is serious, because almost the entire Taiwan media industry is bought by Taiwanese businessmen based in China. All of these people are making money in China. 」 He also said, he 「cares about Taiwan and doesn』t want to see Taiwan falls into the hands of communists.」

Among the five buyers of Next Media (Taiwan), three have investments in mainland China, and are commonly called 「Taiwanese businesspeople.」 Taiwanese businessmen make money and feedback to Taiwan, that』s exactly what Taiwan needs. Isn't it? Taiwanese businesspeople who repatriates profits made in mainland China is what amounts to the inflow of mainland capital?

The notion that 「Taiwanese businesspeople equal to mainland capital」 is both funny and annoying. What evidences can Academician Yu produce to establish such an linkage? His assertions has absolutely no basis whatsoever. Evidence is the base of all scientific claims, and historical studies rely on two fundamental principles, namely dual attestation and that uncorroborated evidence will not stand. Without sufficient evidence any conclusion is meaningless, and it is a common sense in historical studies. Prof. Yu doesn't know it? Not even a single evidence can he produce to prove the 「Taiwanese businesspeople equal to mainland capital」 claim. If Prof. Yu』s argument holds, that is, China-based Taiwanese businesspeople are agents of mainland China capital, how large is hundreds of thousands of Taiwanese businessmen capital in total? Isn't it enough to buy the whole Taiwan!? It is pretty hard for us to accurately assess total Taiwanese investment capital in mainland China. General estimate is that there are eighty thousand Taiwanese listed companies in mainland, with a total of US$100 billion investments as of December 2007. And some experts in Taiwan, basing on money remitted from Taiwan to mainland China, conclude that Taiwanese investments in China are about US$150 billion. According to statistics from Taiwan economic affairs authorities, a total of US$13.1billion investments to China was approved in 2011. With that large capital investments, plus the profits generated through many years and production expansion, is it possible to calculate the total value of Taiwanese businessmen』s fixed assets in mainland China? I have absolutely no idea.

According to China』s Ministry of Commerce, cross-strait trade in 2008 reached US$129.22 billion, up 3.8% from 2007. For the year, China exported US$25.88 billion in goods to Taiwan, a 10.3% jump from a year earlier. Meanwhile, China』s imports from Taiwan totaled US$103.34 billion, increasing by 2.3% year on year. China』s trade deficit with Taiwan was US$77.5 billion. In other words, Taiwan』s trade surplus with China stood at US$77.5 billion.

Statistics have proved that mainland China is Taiwan's largest trade partner and export market, the most important source of Taiwan' economic growth engine. As early as in 1994, the statistics from the Securities and Exchange Commission under Taiwan』s Ministry of Finance indicated that among Taiwanese listed companies investing in mainland China, the number of profitable companies and their profits increased significantly. The greater profitability in China-based Taiwanese firms made more contributions to the earnings of their parent companies accordingly. A survey of Taiwan』s Ministry of Economic Affairs showed, more than 90% of the enterprises which have firmly taken rooted in Taiwan could make profits from their investments in mainland China.

There is a growing trend that Taiwanese businessmen have been repatriating profits from China to Taiwan. In early 2012, an analysis of Taiwan's economic affairs authorities reported that, the investments in China by Taiwanese firms have become an important source of income for their parent companies in Taiwan. According to the statistics, over the first three quarters of 2011 Taiwanese listed and OTC companies recognized mainland China total revenue of NT$118.3 billion, including repatriation of Taiwan's total investment earnings of NT$13.6 billion; accumulated income remitted back to Taiwan reached NT$112 billion over the years. Taiwanese businesses remitted money back to Taiwan, just the 2011 first three quarters reached NT$13.6 billion, over the years the money remitted back to Taiwan was valued at NT$112 billion. What a huge economic gains! How many newspapers like Next Media newspapers or channels can be bought with the money? Who would believe that the money is 「Mainland Capital」? If the money is Mainland Capital, why would the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) and the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) need to discuss repeatedly about 「Mainland Capital to invest in Taiwan」 project?

Academician Yu claimed that 90% of Want Want China Times Group's revenue came from mainland China, and it was obvious that 「China is buying Taiwanese media through Taiwanese businesspeople」. As mentioned above, even though 90% of the Group』s revenue come from mainland China, can you make a judgment that considers Want Want China Times Group as Mainland Capital? Can you make a judgment that mainland China attempts to control Taiwanese media by the acquisition plan of the Want Want China Times Group? If this theory holds, how many Taiwanese media might have been bought with repatriated funds of NT$112 billion over the years?

If all Taiwanese businessmen were funded by the mainland Chinese capital, public officials under former presidents Lee Teng-hui（李登輝), Chen Shui-bian（陳水扁）and President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) have all been fools, and issues like "Taiwan Independence," "Independent Taiwan," "One Country on Each Side" and "1992 Consensus" are of nothing more than symbolic significance. Even if Taiwanese businessmen were dependent on China's capital resources, China-based Taiwanese businessmen are able to remit the money they make on the mainland to support the DPP party（民進黨）and the Liberty Times（自由時報).The fact that many DPP party members are doing business in China has never softened the DPP』s insistence on 「The Resolution on Taiwan』s Future」. The Liberty Times is still promoting the idea of Taiwan Independence. Not long ago, Frank Hsieh（謝長廷） made a controversial trip to China, and his party has yet to respond positively to his trip.

In light of these facts, Yu Ying-shih』s recent statements about Chinese encroachment on Taiwan media are pure sensationalist propaganda. 「Communist China is paralyzing the people』s aspirations in Taiwan by merging Taiwan』s news organizations through Taiwanese businessmen in a flagrant way," said Dr. Yu. I would like to ask this: Which news organization is being taken over by China? 「The Liberty Times」 or 「The China Times」?

Yu Ying-shih says, 「Taiwanese businessmen in China are buying out news media in Taiwan, and they are making money in China.」 Besides the pending trade of the Next Media, can Mr. Yu point out any other news organization in Taiwan was merged by Taiwanese businessmen who are making big money in China? If so, members of the DPP or anyone who defends the freedom of press in Taiwan can sue.

Yu Ying-shih seems to care about the freedom of press in Taiwan. Has Taiwan suffered any setbacks in press freedom after becoming a democratic society? Newspapers in Taiwan have enjoyed more freedom after late president Chiang Ching-kuo（蔣經國）lifted martial law in 1987. News media in Taiwan demonstrate diverse opinions that are pan-blue, pan-green, or orange but never red. Is there any news organization that has altered its political stance after being merged by Taiwanese businessmen who make money in China? The answer is no. But just as before, in Taiwan』s democratic society, there will always be voices to criticize Ma Ying-jeou, Chen Shui-bian, the Communists or the principle of 「One Country, Two Systems."

「Communist China is using Taiwanese businessmen to buy media so it can paralyze Taiwanese aspirations,」 「Taiwan's media are almost bought up by Taiwanese businessmen who are making money in Mainland China,」 and 「(he is) concerned about Taiwan, unwilling to see Taiwan fall into Communists' hands,」 all these are Mr. Yu's slick rhetoric to attract publicity. He is like a modern Don Quixote who heroically launches an attack. But he has no real target, so the attack produces no real effect. Mr. Yu holds an anti-communist view, and he has right to do so. All kinds of criticism should be based on truth. He criticizes Taiwanese businesspeople for receiving funding from Chinese Communist Party but provides no evidence, he will only hurt himself. Is it good for a distinguished history professor to attack those businesspeople with strong anti-communist ideology?

I do not doubt that Yu Ying-shih is concerned about Taiwan. But he said that Taiwanese businessmen are taking Chinese money, and those who participate in buying Next Media are controlled by Chinese Communist Party, 「they are buying Taiwan's media for paralyzing Taiwanese aspirations completely.」 Can this kind of threatening rhetoric be regarded as caring about Taiwan? Can it protect the freedom of the press in Taiwan?

Since Ma Ying-jeou became Taiwan's leader in 2008, due to the "five visions" of Hu-Lien meeting in 2005 had been written into Kuomintang's party program, and the Taiwan authorities recognized the 「1992 consensus」, the cross-strait relations have shown significant progress. Economic, personnel, and cultural exchanges are more frequent, cross-strait relations appear more stable than ever. However, the international economic crisis is not over, Taiwan's economic development is still in difficulty. Taiwan businessmen in mainland China are actively saving Taiwan's economy. They remitted back their profit to Taiwan, to reverse Taiwan's economic downturn. Is it wrong for doing so? If we love Taiwan, we should support Taiwan businessmen operating in mainland China, rather than paint them red and discourage their efforts for economic development.

It is quite normal for us to express different views of a social event. I am not opposed to Academician Yu Ying-shih's expressing of his view on the trade of Next Media. However, whether to support or not, his view should be based on truth, especially for a historian like him. If Mr. Yu Ying-shih should keep his political ideology at bay when he speaks, otherwise his reputation as a renowned historian will be badly hurt.