Since the administration of President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) took office, it has constantly claimed that a diplomatic truce and cross-strait reconciliation would not compromise Taiwan’s sovereignty. But experience shows that China likes to play a dominant role in cross-strait issues, while the Ma government seems incapable of dealing with China. Sovereignty and security in Taiwan are encountering unprecedented threats.
First, there has recently been much criticism about cross-strait dialogue being that between the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Since cross-strait issues are discussed via a KMT-CCP forum, the government can evade legislative supervision and exclude the opposition from the picture.
Even if cross-strait agreements are signed via the mechanism of the Straits Exchange Foundation and the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait, their evasion of legislative review creates the impression that cross-strait talks are closed-door meetings between the KMT and the CCP.
The content and execution of cross-strait agreements have gradually made people worry about issues like cross-strait relations becoming domestic issues and the territories of Taiwan becoming part of China. Since Ma asserted that relations between Taiwan and China are not “state-to-state,” but “region to region,” the government has in practice labeled cross-strait air routes as domestic by opening domestic airports to China, but not to other countries. The government has also opened the nation’s seaports to China, giving the international community the impression that the Taiwan Strait has become part of China. There have been several recent cases in which Chinese tourists attempted to enter Taiwan without the required documentation. The government then rushed to apply for permits on their behalf. It is extremely worrying to think that Taiwan might soon become a province or an area of China and lose its sovereignty.
The Ma administration’s emphasis on cross-strait policy over diplomacy shows that it thinks the quickest route into the international community is via Beijing. This has also given rise to the possibility that rumors about Taiwan’s international space becoming something for Beijing to decide will start to circulate in the international community. By saying that Taiwan’s invitation to become an observer at the World Health Assembly (WHA) represented China’s goodwill, the Ma administration helped spread these rumors throughout the international community, which means that Taiwan’s WHA observer status could become Taiwan’s first major loss in its diplomatic battle with China.
Lastly, the Ma administration’s promotion of an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) with China is making a “one China market” more likely. Without carrying out any assessments, without any plans and without having gained a consensus on the matter within Taiwan, the Ma administration has persistently pinned the hopes of Taiwan’s economy on China. This will have various negative effects, including the relocation of local industries and a continued rise in unemployment, and will make Taiwan lose all its bargaining chips in political talks with China.
The international community and Taiwan must come up with timely controls to stop the Ma administration and the CCP from conspiring to rob Taiwan of its sovereignty. Therefore, we would like to urge each Taiwanese to stand up and take action to help protect Taiwan’s sovereignty. We cannot keep waiting, as there is a risk the situation will reach a point of no return.
Taiwan Thinktank is an independent, nonprofit public policy research organization based in Taipei.
TRANSLATED BY TED YANG AND DREW CAMERON
Chinese Ministry of National Defense spokesman Wu Qian (吳謙) announced at a news conference that General Miao Hua (苗華) — director of the Political Work Department of the Central Military Commission — has been suspended from his duties pending an investigation of serious disciplinary breaches. Miao’s role within the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) affects not only its loyalty to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), but also ideological control. This reflects the PLA’s complex internal power struggles, as well as its long-existing structural problems. Since its establishment, the PLA has emphasized that “the party commands the gun,” and that the military is
Two major Chinese Communist Party (CCP)-People’s Liberation Army (PLA) power demonstrations in November 2024 highlight the urgency for Taiwan to pursue a military buildup and deterrence agenda that can take back control of its destiny. First, the CCP-PLA’s planned future for Taiwan of war, bloody suppression, and use as a base for regional aggression was foreshadowed by the 9th and largest PLA-Russia Joint Bomber Exercise of Nov. 29 and 30. It was double that of previous bomber exercises, with both days featuring combined combat strike groups of PLA Air Force and Russian bombers escorted by PLAAF and Russian fighters, airborne early warning
Since the end of former president Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) administration, the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation has taken Taiwanese students to visit China and invited Chinese students to Taiwan. Ma calls those activities “cross-strait exchanges,” yet the trips completely avoid topics prohibited by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), such as democracy, freedom and human rights — all of which are universal values. During the foundation’s most recent Chinese student tour group, a Fudan University student used terms such as “China, Taipei” and “the motherland” when discussing Taiwan’s recent baseball victory. The group’s visit to Zhongshan Girls’ High School also received prominent coverage in
India and China have taken a significant step toward disengagement of their military troops after reaching an agreement on the long-standing disputes in the Galwan Valley. For government officials and policy experts, this move is welcome, signaling the potential resolution of the enduring border issues between the two countries. However, it is crucial to consider the potential impact of this disengagement on India’s relationship with Taiwan. Over the past few years, there have been important developments in India-Taiwan relations, including exchanges between heads of state soon after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third electoral victory. This raises the pressing question:
RSS