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.
The gutting of Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Asia (RFA) by US President Donald Trump’s administration poses a serious threat to the global voice of freedom, particularly for those living under authoritarian regimes such as China. The US — hailed as the model of liberal democracy — has the moral responsibility to uphold the values it champions. In undermining these institutions, the US risks diminishing its “soft power,” a pivotal pillar of its global influence. VOA Tibetan and RFA Tibetan played an enormous role in promoting the strong image of the US in and outside Tibet. On VOA Tibetan,
Sung Chien-liang (宋建樑), the leader of the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) efforts to recall Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lee Kun-cheng (李坤城), caused a national outrage and drew diplomatic condemnation on Tuesday after he arrived at the New Taipei City District Prosecutors’ Office dressed in a Nazi uniform. Sung performed a Nazi salute and carried a copy of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf as he arrived to be questioned over allegations of signature forgery in the recall petition. The KMT’s response to the incident has shown a striking lack of contrition and decency. Rather than apologizing and distancing itself from Sung’s actions,
US President Trump weighed into the state of America’s semiconductor manufacturing when he declared, “They [Taiwan] stole it from us. They took it from us, and I don’t blame them. I give them credit.” At a prior White House event President Trump hosted TSMC chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家), head of the world’s largest and most advanced chip manufacturer, to announce a commitment to invest US$100 billion in America. The president then shifted his previously critical rhetoric on Taiwan and put off tariffs on its chips. Now we learn that the Trump Administration is conducting a “trade investigation” on semiconductors which
By now, most of Taiwan has heard Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an’s (蔣萬安) threats to initiate a vote of no confidence against the Cabinet. His rationale is that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)-led government’s investigation into alleged signature forgery in the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) recall campaign constitutes “political persecution.” I sincerely hope he goes through with it. The opposition currently holds a majority in the Legislative Yuan, so the initiation of a no-confidence motion and its passage should be entirely within reach. If Chiang truly believes that the government is overreaching, abusing its power and targeting political opponents — then