As the DPP's presidential candidate, Chen Shui-bian (
The NUC's supporters believe Chen's participation will prevent violation of existing regulations, cool down the independence-unification dispute, and help reduce cross-strait tension. The highlighting of Chen's NUC predicament by the KMT and the New Party is politically motivated, as it not only creates a conflict between Chen, the DPP and the cross-strait task force but also highlights China policy as a major point of divergence between the ruling and opposition parties.
Whether Chen's membership of the NUC will yield the results that supporters of such a move envisage is doubtful, however. First of all, even if Chen does join it, he cannot possibly accept the guidelines in their entirety. Another dispute will, therefore, inevitably arise over how to revise the guidelines. By nature, the independence-unification issue is not just a question of national identity. It is also about a lack of consensus over the "one China" principle. Chen's membership of the NUC will be a meaningless formality if it does not help to find a solution to the independence-unification dispute.
It is also doubtful whether Beijing would respond with goodwill to Chen's involvement in the NUC. After all, it is unthinkable that Beijing's dictum about "listening to what he [Chen] says and watching what he does" is only limited to Chen's joining the NUC. If the DPP takes over the NUC, Beijing will certainly take a step further and demand that the DPP abandon its platform of advocating a referendum over independence, and that Taiwan accept the "one China" principle. If these demands are not met, then the cross-strait impasse will continue.
What's more, Chen has been making compromises and goodwill gestures to Beijing from his election victory on March 18 to the June 20 press conference. But Beijing has remained unmoved and made few positive responses. Once Chen joins the NUC, the move will be interpreted as another major compromise and proof to Beijing that its hardline strategy is working. Chen's poor resistance to pressure will, in turn, encourage hardliners in Beijing.
Chen ordered the establishment of the cross-strait task force, whose purpose is to build domestic consensus outside of the NUC. Chen should take a neutral stance between the NUC and the task force before the latter is officially launched. Only then will he be able to make best use of the DPP's Taiwan-centric position as a bargaining chip.
It is worth noting that, while the KMT and the New Party were pushing Chen to take a decisive stance over the NUC, PFP Chairman James Soong (
By not getting involved in the row and not sanctifying the NUC, the PFP can avoid being dubbed a "pro-unification" party. It also helps the PFP position itself as a party "for the people and not for ideologies." By downplaying the deep-rooted independence-unification issue, the PFP can win further space for future development.
Julian Kuo is an associate professor of political science at Soochow University.
Translated by Francis Huang.
Recently, China launched another diplomatic offensive against Taiwan, improperly linking its “one China principle” with UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 to constrain Taiwan’s diplomatic space. After Taiwan’s presidential election on Jan. 13, China persuaded Nauru to sever diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Nauru cited Resolution 2758 in its declaration of the diplomatic break. Subsequently, during the WHO Executive Board meeting that month, Beijing rallied countries including Venezuela, Zimbabwe, Belarus, Egypt, Nicaragua, Sri Lanka, Laos, Russia, Syria and Pakistan to reiterate the “one China principle” in their statements, and assert that “Resolution 2758 has settled the status of Taiwan” to hinder Taiwan’s
Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s (李顯龍) decision to step down after 19 years and hand power to his deputy, Lawrence Wong (黃循財), on May 15 was expected — though, perhaps, not so soon. Most political analysts had been eyeing an end-of-year handover, to ensure more time for Wong to study and shadow the role, ahead of general elections that must be called by November next year. Wong — who is currently both deputy prime minister and minister of finance — would need a combination of fresh ideas, wisdom and experience as he writes the nation’s next chapter. The world that
The past few months have seen tremendous strides in India’s journey to develop a vibrant semiconductor and electronics ecosystem. The nation’s established prowess in information technology (IT) has earned it much-needed revenue and prestige across the globe. Now, through the convergence of engineering talent, supportive government policies, an expanding market and technologically adaptive entrepreneurship, India is striving to become part of global electronics and semiconductor supply chains. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Vision of “Make in India” and “Design in India” has been the guiding force behind the government’s incentive schemes that span skilling, design, fabrication, assembly, testing and packaging, and
Can US dialogue and cooperation with the communist dictatorship in Beijing help avert a Taiwan Strait crisis? Or is US President Joe Biden playing into Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) hands? With America preoccupied with the wars in Europe and the Middle East, Biden is seeking better relations with Xi’s regime. The goal is to responsibly manage US-China competition and prevent unintended conflict, thereby hoping to create greater space for the two countries to work together in areas where their interests align. The existing wars have already stretched US military resources thin, and the last thing Biden wants is yet another war.