The “diplomatic truce” strategy proposed by President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) is “constructive” and long overdue but Beijing must reciprocate fast before the small window of opportunity closes on improved cross-strait relations, a panel of academics said yesterday, touting Taiwan’s democracy as its most effective leverage over China.
Ma’s approach to China, often lambasted by the green camp as denigrating Taiwan’s sovereignty, was highly praised by the panelists, describing the tactic as “strategic, smart and appropriate,” which not only promotes the pressing interests of Taiwan such as augmentation of international space, but also serves the interests of the US and China.
“There is a consensus of support [in Washington] of what Ma is doing,” said Derek Mitchell, senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), adding that Taiwan lost the political tug-of-war against China 30 years ago when Washington and Tokyo cut relations with Taipei.
IMPASSE
The diplomatic impasse between China and Taiwan has prompted both sides to shower small countries, especially in the Pacific region, with money in exchange for recognition.
The practice has tarnished Taiwan’s reputation and sparked protest from some countries, such as Australia, Mitchell said.
So far China has not made any significant moves to indicate whether it would accept Ma’s invitation to enter into a truce, but the fact that Ascuncion had not switched sides as its president had threatened to do during his campaign was evident that China had agreed “ tacitly,” said Douglas Paal, vice president of the Carnegie Endowment Foundation.
Paal, also a former American Institute in Taiwan director, supports the possible controversial visit of Beijing’s Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait Chairman Chen Yunlin (陳雲林) to Taiwan later this month or early next month, and said the visit should not be postponed as many pro-Taiwan academics have suggested.
“It has already been postponed for 60 years,” he said.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) supporters who plan to protest against Chen’s visit, he said, should ponder how the Chinese would view such a protest.
Such a display could be seen as merely a rally for more pro-green support in Taiwan.
What DPP supporters should think about, Paal said, is what is best for Taiwan’s national interests.
The panelists, however, all evaded the question on whether there were any drawbacks or danger to Taiwan’s democracy in Ma’s “diplomatic truce” when the question was raised by Taipei Times.
Paal also chalked up the recent China-originated toxic milk powder as “growing pains” that many developed nations, such as the US, have had to experience, citing the corrupt US meat industry in the late 19th century.
Hong Tsai-lung (洪蔡隆), associate research fellow at the Taiwan Institute of Economic Research, urged that in the effort to normalize economic ties with Beijing, “Taiwan subjective awareness” (台灣主體意識) must be carefully considered and warned that Taiwan’s asymmetric trade dependence on China may limit Taiwan’s leverage in negotiating with Beijing.
COMMON MARKET
“Advocates for a cross-strait common-market ... have failed to address this deep worry,” he said.
He said the common-market idea, as proposed by Vice President Vincent Siew (蕭萬長), will do harm to Taiwan unless China promises not to boycott the signing of free-trade agreements (FTA) between Taiwan and other countries.
Charles Freeman, CSIS Freeman Chair in China Studies, said “whether we like it or not, an FTA between Washington and Taipei is unlikely unless Beijing acquiesces.”
Freeman said Taiwan should bolster its economic muscle by shaping itself as “go-between — a place for foreign corporations to build equity to get to China,” he said.
In terms of bilateral military affairs, Bonnie Glaser, senior associate at CSIS, said both sides should establish mutually beneficial confidence building as well as accident avoidance measures, such as a military hotline, to further reduce tension in the Strait.
The High Prosecutors’ Office yesterday withdrew an appeal against the acquittal of a former bank manager 22 years after his death, marking Taiwan’s first instance of prosecutors rendering posthumous justice to a wrongfully convicted defendant. Chu Ching-en (諸慶恩) — formerly a manager at the Taipei branch of BNP Paribas — was in 1999 accused by Weng Mao-chung (翁茂鍾), then-president of Chia Her Industrial Co, of forging a request for a fixed deposit of US$10 million by I-Hwa Industrial Co, a subsidiary of Chia Her, which was used as collateral. Chu was ruled not guilty in the first trial, but was found guilty
DEADLOCK: As the commission is unable to forum a quorum to review license renewal applications, the channel operators are not at fault and can air past their license date The National Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday said that the Public Television Service (PTS) and 36 other television and radio broadcasters could continue airing, despite the commission’s inability to meet a quorum to review their license renewal applications. The licenses of PTS and the other channels are set to expire between this month and June. The National Communications Commission Organization Act (國家通訊傳播委員會組織法) stipulates that the commission must meet the mandated quorum of four to hold a valid meeting. The seven-member commission currently has only three commissioners. “We have informed the channel operators of the progress we have made in reviewing their license renewal applications, and
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) yesterday appealed to the authorities to release former Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) from pretrial detention amid conflicting reports about his health. The TPP at a news conference on Thursday said that Ko should be released to a hospital for treatment, adding that he has blood in his urine and had spells of pain and nausea followed by vomiting over the past three months. Hsieh Yen-yau (謝炎堯), a retired professor of internal medicine and Ko’s former teacher, said that Ko’s symptoms aligned with gallstones, kidney inflammation and potentially dangerous heart conditions. Ko, charged with