President Chen Shui-bian (
While the opposition parties have portrayed Chen's moves to hold a referendum as walking on a tightrope and pushing the nation's 23 million people to the brink of war with China, more attention must be paid to Chen's New Year address.
There are four main messages contained in the speech.
First, Chen emphasized that over the past three years, with the utmost sincerity and goodwill, his administration has made efforts to create a positive environment for cross-strait relations, based on the principles of reconciliation, cooperation and peace. Most people tend to overlook how little goodwill Chen has received from his counterparts in Beijing in response.
Despite the absence of a response from China, the Chen administration has consistently taken the approach of a "firm position advanced pragmatically" in its constant promotion of cultural, economic and political interaction. In this regard, when it comes to the question of how to break the cross-strait deadlock, the international community, including the US, should take into account how China has ignored Chen's olive branch.
Second, Chen stated the fact that people in both countries share common ancestors, a similar cultural heritage and closely related history. This constitutes the basis for people across the Taiwan Strait to pursue reconciliation, instead of political confrontation. This is another goodwill gesture on the part of Taiwan's president that could open a window of opportunity for cross-strait rapprochement.
Third, Chen called on Beijing to accept the democratic choice made by the people of Taiwan in the upcoming presidential election. China has adopted a strategy of watching Chen's words and actions while bypassing his administration in cross-strait interaction, but there is no chance that the Chinese leadership can avoid reopening bilateral talks with Taiwan -- even if Chen is
re-elected.
Finally, and most importantly, Chen answered questions raised by some people about the legitimacy of the defensive referendum. While some contend that there is no need to ask the Taiwanese people to vote on a question that might attract 99 percent support, Chen's message has both symbolic and policy implications.
Not only would it demonstrate that the referendum is a manifestation of the people's will to urge China to renounce the use of force and its missile threat, it is also consistent with his emerging cross-strait plan.
Chen stressed that "leaders of both Taiwan and China will have a historic opportunity to demonstrate their wisdom in creating a brand new vision for economic cooperation and political reconciliation across the Strait, thereby making the greatest contribution to the prosperity of the peoples on both sides." This may be an unsurprising statement, but it comes with new meaning.
It suggests that a "window of opportunity" will reopen after the election, when China will have no choice but to deal with the re-elected Chen. Even if it has to deal with a resurgent Lien Chan (
Whoever wins the presidential election must listen to the new voice of Taiwan. And the fact is, the pan-blue camp has been tilting toward the pan-green camp on issues of national identification. Lien Chan even publicly endorsed the notion of "one country on each side" of the Taiwan Strait. The pan-blue camp also called for Beijing to withdraw the missiles aimed at Taiwan. What Beijing must recognize is the new mandate that exists in Taiwan. It can no longer treat the nation like a concubine.
Liu Kuan-teh is a Taipei-based political commentator.
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