As Deng Xiaoping (鄧小平) gathered power following the death of Mao (毛澤東) in the late seventies, he had a vision of a different sort of China, one that focused more on economic development than political struggle. His launching of the “reform and opening” policy in the early 1980s heralded a forty-year period of unprecedented economic growth that has astonished the world. For it has delivered hundreds of millions of Chinese out of poverty and transformed the PRC into the second largest economy in the world.
Deng also deftly handled the touchy issue of Hong Kong, whose 99-year lease to the British was due to expire in 1997, by crafting what he called “one country, two systems” in 1982. Deng promptly linked this amorphous but pleasant-sounding policy slogan to the question of Taiwan, suggesting that successful PRC management of Hong Kong’s reincorporation into Chinese sovereignty would prove an attractive lure to Taiwan.
Taiwan leaders made clear from the start that they had little interest in the idea, first because Taiwan’s de facto sovereignty made it a very different subject than the UK colony of Hong Kong; second because it wanted no part of a deal that absorbed the de facto independent island-state into the mainland on Beijing’s terms. The standoff has festered now for nearly forty years, despite the impressive economic changes on the mainland. Notably, Taiwan has also grown at an amazing rate. Even more significantly, it has transformed from a one-party authoritarian system into one of the most successful democracies in all of Asia.
My friends in Taiwan have long stressed to me that Taiwan is very different from Hong Kong. While one was a British colony for 150 years, the other emerged from the Chinese Civil War as a separate political entity enjoying nearly all the attributes of a sovereign state. Many outside observers were impressed by the orderly transition of Hong Kong back to PRC sovereignty in 1997, encouraged by Deng’s pledge that his concept of “one country, two systems” was actually working there.
But when Hong Kong seemed to be faring well, observers in Taiwan stressed that the island had never, under successive governments, embraced the applicability of “one country, two systems” to Taipei’s very different circumstances. On the other hand, when things in Hong Kong began to go downhill fast the reaction in Taiwan was “See! This system cannot work for us, and doesn’t even work for the people of Hong Kong!” Emperor Xi (習近平) has sharpened this distinction with his clumsy move to further crush Hong Kong, less than halfway through the fifty-year pledge of Deng’s “one country, two systems.”
We could spend a great deal of time trying to parse out just why Xi has decided to abrogate even the slightest traces of “two systems” through his recent steps, particularly the imposition of a draconian security law now hanging over the heads of the 7.5 million citizens of Hong Kong. I personally think it was Xi’s way of distracting his own suffering people in the wake of the global financial crisis. Whatever the reason, Hong Kong is the loser. I grieve for all the people there, as they watch the rapid deconstruction of even the modest freedoms pledged to them by Deng. Those lucky enough to have the means are planning to get out. But for the overwhelming majority of the city’s people, the future is quite gloomy.
The upshot of all this is that the current Taiwan Government under President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) has been fortifying its ties to the US and making it clear it has no time for Beijing’s paltry blandishments. Trade and tourism across the strait have declined, while relations between Taipei and Washington are better than ever. America’s implicit commitment to come to Taiwan’s assistance if it is attacked has been bolstered through both the US Congress and the executive branch under President Trump. Arms sales have grown in scope and quality. I am confident that no matter who emerges from next month’s Presidential election in America, our economic, military and political ties with the island-state will continue to flourish.
Taiwan will continue to seek mutually beneficial exchanges with the mainland whenever possible. But for now, it can and must keep building the close ties of respect and trust it enjoys with the key interested powers. That includes first and foremost the United States. But robust relations with Japan, Southeast Asia, India, Europe, South America and the rest of the world should not be neglected. Taiwan has an important success story to share, and it needs to keep on persevering. The irony is that Emperor Xi’s ham-handed treatment of Hong Kong simply makes Taiwan stand out even more clearly. In sum, it remains the only ethnically Chinese entity in Northeastern Asia that has successfully navigated the current economic and political headwinds currently buffeting much of that region. That is something to be proud of!
Ambassador Stephen M. Young (ret.) lived in Kaohsiung as a boy over 50 years ago, and served in AIT four times: as a young consular officer (1981-’82), as a language student (1989-’90), as Deputy Director (1998-2001) and as Director (2006-’9). He visits often and writes regularly about Taiwan matters. Young was also US Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan and Consul General to Hong Kong during his 33-year career as a foreign service officer. He has a BA from Wesleyan University and a PhD from the University of Chicago.
You wish every Taiwanese spoke English like I do. I was not born an anglophone, yet I am paid to write and speak in English. It is my working language and my primary idiom in private. I am more than bilingual: I think in English; it is my language now. Can you guess how many native English speakers I had as teachers in my entire life? Zero. I only lived in an English-speaking country, Australia, in my 30s, and it was because I was already fluent that I was able to live and pursue a career. English became my main language during adulthood
Somehow, US intelligence identified “the Houthis’ top missile guy” and pinpointed his exact location. At 1348 hours (Washington time), March 15, President Trump’s national security advisor Mike Waltz texted, “positive ID of him walking into his girlfriend’s building.” The unsuspecting Romeo entered. High above, the drone monitoring the building registered a flash. When the smoke cleared, Mr. Waltz texted, “…And it’s now collapsed.” RIP. The star-crossed “top missile guy” had been target number one in the now uproarious US Navy bombing campaign on that Sunday against the Yemeni rebels who have been holding the Red Sea hostage since October 19,
Taiwan on Monday celebrated Freedom of Speech Day. The commemoration is not an international day, and was first established in Tainan by President William Lai (賴清德) in 2012, when he was mayor of that city. The day was elevated to a national holiday in 2016 by then-president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文). Lai chose April 7, because it marks the anniversary of the death of democracy advocate Deng Nan-jung (鄭南榕), who started Freedom Era Weekly to promote freedom of expression. Thirty-six years ago, a warrant for Deng’s arrest had been issued after he refused to appear in court to answer charges of
The Opinion page has published several articles and editorials over the past few weeks addressing Taiwan’s efforts to leverage unique or strong aspects of its culture to increase international awareness of the nation. These have included submissions by foreign journalists and overseas students, highlighting how bubble milk tea, Guinness World Record attempts, the entertainment sectors, impressive scenery, world-class cuisine and important contributions to the high-tech supply chain can enhance Taiwan’s recognition overseas and therefore its soft power. That entails competing for attention in already crowded sectors. Other nations, after all, offer popular entertainment exports, beautiful scenic spots and great food.
RSS