Chinese leaders never lose an opportunity to point to the success of this concept in Hong Kong. You can tell how much store is set by stressing the triumph of one country, two systems in the SAR by observing the way that the well trained poodles in Hong Kong repeat this message even more often than their masters.

However the one country, two systems concept devised by Deng Xiaoping to foster the reunification of Taiwan with the mainland, has been silently dropped from the Chinese leaders' discourse on the subject of improving ties across the Taiwan Strait.

Most striking was the absence of this formula from the many speeches and communiques that surrounded the visits to the mainland of Taiwanese opposition leaders Lien Chan and James Soong.

Indeed it appears that the idea of one country, two systems is so discredited in Taiwan that Soong has been obliged to suggest a new formula. He calls it: two sides, one China.

The success of Soong's efforts may be gauged by the dismal performance of his People's First Party in this week's National Assembly elections. The party slipped to fourth place in the popular vote, behind a hardline pro-independence party.

Meanwhile, despite the confident predictions of the pundits, the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) retained its narrow lead as the island's most popular party and the Kuomintang barely improved its standing in the poll.

Pundits never like to be proved wrong and so they are full of weasel-like excuses for their abysmal failure to understand what happened at the polls. The one I like best is blaming bad weather for a poor turnout by opposition party supporters.

The plain facts of the matter are that this election delivered the clear message that the people of Taiwan are not so easily fooled by the lavish show put on by the Chinese Communist Party to bolster the DPP's enemies as they feted the leaders of the opposition.

These leaders no doubt told their hosts that if they want to make a good impression it would be better if they keep quiet about the one country, two systems concept. Now it appears that the Communist Party has gone further and issued new guidelines to departments dealing with cross-Straits affairs instructing them to drop all mention of the concept in future.

This is an enormous, albeit covert, admission of failure. The creation of the Hong Kong SAR was supposed to serve as an example so that the people of Taiwan could see the benefits of reunification. The reality is that the SAR under a system of one country, two systems has become a recruiting tool for the anti-reunification camp in Taiwan. Whenever parties like the DPP feel that their support is faltering they simply pose the question: ``Do you want Taiwan to become another Hong Kong?''

The Taiwanese know that the Hong Kong model implies that promises of autonomy will not be honored and that creeping control by the mainland will be the order of the day. Yet somehow the Chinese leadership has managed to persuade a significant number of people in Hong Kong that one country, two systems has been a great success. That claim stretched credibility to new heights when it was suggested that successful implementation of the concept was the hallmark of achievements by Tung Chee-hwa as Chief Executive. Making that claim after he had been removed from office told everyone just how seriously it could be taken.

Next week the nature of the one country, two systems farce will again be on display when Donald Tsang makes his totally predictable announcement that he will run for the post of Chief Executive. This will be followed by a scramble among the poodles on the Election Committee to get their names on his nomination papers and another flurry of supportive statements by Chinese leaders endorsing his candidacy while affirming their neutrality in the alleged election campaign.

The only person attempting to contest the election from the pro-China camp will be Chim Pui-chung, a convicted felon. The sole candidate from the democratic camp, Lee Wing-tat, will, in all likelihood fail to muster enough nominations to take part in the race. This is despite the fact that he represents a point of view that consistently secures overwhelming majority support on the rare occasions when the people of Hong Kong have a chance to elect officials.

Is there any serious wonder why all this holds no attraction for the people of Taiwan?

The answer is obvious and it confirms why one country, two systems is a thoroughly discredited concept everywhere but in the minds of true believers in the idea that myth and reality are the same thing.

vines@netvigator.com

Stephen Vines is a journalist and entrepreneur