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A Taiwanese template for China
During the controversy surrounding Japan¡¦s detention of the captain of a Chinese
fishing boat in the waters off the Diaoyutai Islands (³¨³½¥x), China displayed the
strength of a major power, forcing Japan to call on the US-Japan security treaty
and Washington¡¦s assistance in reining in Beijing.
The question of how to counterbalance the power of a rising China has become a
matter of grave concern to the international community.
Although power in the Taiwan Strait is rapidly tilting in Beijing¡¦s favor as its
military, diplomatic and economic powers develop far beyond Taiwan¡¦s reach,
Taipei still possesses certain strengths that remain crucial when dealing with
China.
Although Beijing often talks about ¡§socialism with Chinese characteristics,¡¨ its
growth has essentially followed Taiwan¡¦s export-led development model.
As a result, the capital, technology and export experience brought in by
China-based Taiwanese businesspeople has been an important catalyst for
development, presenting a practical example of how Taiwan¡¦s soft power is
helping to change China.
As the emerging middle class and the number of people who have received higher
education in China grow, Chinese society is reaching a turning point, as these
groups pay more attention to public affairs and demand a greater part in
decision-making.
This makes a clash with the one-party rule of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)
almost inevitable.
As social tensions increase, China will have to move toward political reform.
Taiwan went through this process in the 1970s and 1980s. As discontent with the
Chinese Nationalist Party¡¦s (KMT) own one-party rule increased among the
emerging middle class, people began to demand democracy, freedom and other
rights. Despite the KMT¡¦s efforts to suppress such demands, which led to the
Kaohsiung Incident and the jailing of many pro-democracy dissidents, the party
was ultimately forced to end martial law and lift the ban on establishing new
political parties and newspapers.
Those moves then led inexorably to free legislative elections and the first
popular election of Taiwan¡¦s president. The KMT was unable to resist increasing
social pressure and in 2000, Taiwan experienced its first peaceful transfer of
power.
The Chinese leadership is now beginning to realize that economic reform will
lead to similar demands for political reform, which is why Chinese Premier Wen
Jiabao (·Å®aÄ_) has recently addressed the topic. Chinese President Hu Jintao (JÀAÀÜ)
also broached the subject in a speech at the fifth plenary session of the CCP¡¦s
17th Central Committee. Clearly, the Chinese leadership understands the need for
political reform. The question is how extensive it should be and at what speed
it should be carried out so as not to cause social instability and minimize its
impact on the CCP.
When the Nobel Committee awarded the peace prize to Liu Xiaobo (¼B¾åªi), it was an
indication of strong support for China¡¦s democracy movement and while change
will not be immediate, it is unavoidable.
The CCP needs to decide whether to attempt to obstruct democracy or facilitate
its development. If it chooses the former then history will pass it by, just as
it did the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. If, however, the CCP decides to
embrace change then it could repeat the experience of the KMT, which suffered in
the short run, but remains a political force in Taiwan.
The experience of Taiwan over the past 20 years shows that a peaceful and
bloodless change from authoritarianism to freedom and democratic rule has built
public support for human rights. The best way for Taiwan to help China and the
world is to promote such change.
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