One of the biggest problems President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government have faced internationally is how to correct the image of Taiwan as troublemaker in the Taiwan Strait.
Many international observers see Chen's push for explicit Taiwanese independence through a referendum and the introduction of a new constitution as needless provocation of China and thus inherently detrimental to cross-strait interaction.
Americans often stress that since the Bush administration is preoccupied with North Korea and is dependent on China's assistance, Taiwan should refrain from giving Beijing excuses to elicit US pressure on Taiwan.
In some cases, Chen did make surprising announcements of new initiatives in a manner that didn't help his friends in Washington prepare the ground properly and that allowed Chen-haters to make him appear irresponsible or insufficiently aware of how difficult the US position has been.
Therefore, the Bush administration has stressed publicly the terms of "accountability," "responsibility" and "consistency" in connection to Chen.
A serious disjuncture has apparently occurred between Taipei and Washington over timing and judgment -- even if the Chen administration's underlying policies make sense.
There is a balance to be struck, and this has not been recognized sufficiently by the two sides.
Most US policymakers tend to forget that new democracies always struggle to consolidate internally and develop mature party systems. Taiwan is also a unique case in that it faces an increasing Chinese military threat.
Sometimes people overreact to Chen and his administration's actions. Sometimes they merely overlook the China factor and blame all on Chen's politicking.
For example, most people regard "Taiwan-centered consciousness" as a product of the DPP government. In fact, it has been rooted in Taiwanese society since the Japanese era and underwent transformation during the Chinese Nationalist Party's (KMT) authoritarian rule and democratization in the 1990s.
Also, as a popularly elected leader, it's natural for Chen to play to his base -- just as US presidents do on abortion, taxes and national security.
Chen thinks he has been careful in not doing anything that might give Beijing cause to literally go ballistic. And he has criticized Beijing's growing number of missiles targeting Taiwan and the rapid expansion of its military budget as clear violations of the cross-strait "status quo."
Washington instead worries about miscalculations. Most importantly, it is frustrated that Taiwan shows no determination to strengthen its defensive capabilities and seems to take US military assistance in the case of cross-strait conflict for granted.
It's not about right or wrong. It's about how to reinforce Taiwan's message and the necessity of strengthening communication. This involves incorporating a more realistic and effective strategy of public diplomacy to rebuild US-Taiwan relations.
Taiwan needs to mobilize official and civic resources and launch a global campaign to debunk Beijing's line and allow the international community to understand the true purpose of Taiwan's democracy.
Winning the next presidential election is important, but the key is to translate the current growing pains of democracy into a positive image of Taiwan as a beacon for Chinese democracy and a cornerstone of peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.
The goal for Taiwan's new representative to the US, outgoing Mainland Affairs Council Chairman Joseph Wu (
Liu Kuan-teh is a Taipei-based political commentator.
Concerns that the US might abandon Taiwan are often overstated. While US President Donald Trump’s handling of Ukraine raised unease in Taiwan, it is crucial to recognize that Taiwan is not Ukraine. Under Trump, the US views Ukraine largely as a European problem, whereas the Indo-Pacific region remains its primary geopolitical focus. Taipei holds immense strategic value for Washington and is unlikely to be treated as a bargaining chip in US-China relations. Trump’s vision of “making America great again” would be directly undermined by any move to abandon Taiwan. Despite the rhetoric of “America First,” the Trump administration understands the necessity of
In an article published on this page on Tuesday, Kaohsiung-based journalist Julien Oeuillet wrote that “legions of people worldwide would care if a disaster occurred in South Korea or Japan, but the same people would not bat an eyelid if Taiwan disappeared.” That is quite a statement. We are constantly reading about the importance of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC), hailed in Taiwan as the nation’s “silicon shield” protecting it from hostile foreign forces such as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and so crucial to the global supply chain for semiconductors that its loss would cost the global economy US$1
US President Donald Trump’s challenge to domestic American economic-political priorities, and abroad to the global balance of power, are not a threat to the security of Taiwan. Trump’s success can go far to contain the real threat — the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) surge to hegemony — while offering expanded defensive opportunities for Taiwan. In a stunning affirmation of the CCP policy of “forceful reunification,” an obscene euphemism for the invasion of Taiwan and the destruction of its democracy, on March 13, 2024, the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) used Chinese social media platforms to show the first-time linkage of three new
Sasha B. Chhabra’s column (“Michelle Yeoh should no longer be welcome,” March 26, page 8) lamented an Instagram post by renowned actress Michelle Yeoh (楊紫瓊) about her recent visit to “Taipei, China.” It is Chhabra’s opinion that, in response to parroting Beijing’s propaganda about the status of Taiwan, Yeoh should be banned from entering this nation and her films cut off from funding by government-backed agencies, as well as disqualified from competing in the Golden Horse Awards. She and other celebrities, he wrote, must be made to understand “that there are consequences for their actions if they become political pawns of