|
EDITORIAL: Listen to
Taiwanese, not China
After having been accused by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) of not clearly
stating her policies, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairperson Tsai
Ing-wen (蔡英文) announced the party’s 10-year policy guidelines on Monday, with
her views on cross-strait relations attracting the most attention.
Tsai defined the focus of cross-strait relations by saying that the two sides
should seek harmony, but reserve the right to disagree, while seeking agreement
in a spirit of conciliation. She wants the two sides to strive for common
interests and benefits.
Tsai’s announcement has established the main battlefield between the two main
opponents in the presidential election. Mainland Affairs Council Chairperson Lai
Shin-yuan (賴幸媛) immediately attacked Tsai, posing 18 questions, while President
Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) attacked the policy statement in a speech in Kinmen.
Tsai’s view of cross-strait relations approaches the issue from a global
perspective. She hopes that multi-layered and multifaceted exchanges between
Taiwan and China would result in a framework for cross-strait peace, stability
and interaction, which could help establish a stable and constructive bilateral
relationship.
Tsai’s cross-strait policy maintains the DPP’s priority on placing Taiwan first
and creating a consensus based on Taiwanese identity, but it is more pragmatic
than former president Chen Shui-bian’s (陳水扁) radical approach, in that it seeks
mutual strategic gains and beneficial cross-strait trade.
Ma’s view, however, is to approach the issue from a Chinese perspective that
expands outward to a global context. He says cross-strait relations must remain
within the context of the Republic of China (ROC) Constitution and he sticks to
the so-called “1992 consensus,” ignoring the fact that there is no such thing,
and “mutual non-denial.”
His view of cross-strait relations is built on the fact that China has been
willing to let him have a small corner for himself, so that he can express his
views in Taiwan — the rest of the world accepts or understands China’s
definition of the cross-strait relationship. This cruel reality is made
painfully obvious by China’s suppression of Taiwan in the international arena.
Ma may want to highlight his cross-strait and diplomatic accomplishments by
talking about Taiwan becoming an observer at the World Health Assembly, his
diplomatic truce and how Taiwan enjoys visa exempt status in almost 100
countries, but the fact is that cross-strait relations have been more stable
during his presidency because he and his government have bowed their heads and
accepted the so-called “1992 consensus,” giving Ma a little corner for himself
where he can continue to develop his pro-China policies in search of his goal of
eventual unification.
Ma’s declaration a few days ago that China had rejected requests from three of
Taiwan’s diplomatic allies to establish diplomatic relations, coupled with the
fact that Taiwan’s diplomats and army no longer know what they are fighting to
defend, make it clear that the diplomatic truce is just a gradual approach to
unification with China.
Regardless of what the DPP’s and KMT’s cross-strait policies look like, China
will not be satisfied if they don’t aim to create “one China.”
Both the KMT and the DPP should pay less attention to what China thinks and more
attention to what the Taiwanese public want.
|
