Editorial: Strong pills will cure China fever

China's latest unificationist offensives have been successful. Taiwanese people, fed up with domestic political and economic upheavals, have been subconsciously throwing themselves out of the wok into the fire. Thank goodness for a press conference held by China's Taiwan Affairs Office (國台辦) on Thursday -- it was a wake up call for those in Taiwan still deluded by China.

In the past, the old "one China," "peaceful unification" and "one country, two systems" tunes were played time after time by Beijing, without any variation. The people of Taiwan, sick of hearing these old refrains, began to tune them out and grow complacent. Some even began to think the grass was greener on the other side of the Taiwan Strait.

This time, however, the Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman, Zhang Mingqing (張銘清), acted as if he was the supreme leader of Taiwan. In a manner guaranteed to provoke reaction on this side of the Strait, Zhang criticized the consensus reached by the cross-party task force as being "neither here nor there, neither fish nor fowl" (不三不四, 不倫不類). He slammed President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) for "faking peace." He even had something to say about which romanization system Taiwan should adopt.

Taiwan and China remain divided, yet Beijing officials act like gangster bosses. Taiwan shouldn't pay much attention to Zhang's senseless comments. Nevertheless, Mainland Affairs Council Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), Premier Chang Chung-hsiung (張俊雄) and Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) were all quick to respond. Why flatter Zhang this way? The best response would have been silence.

Since Chen took office, Taiwan has given top priority to stability in the Strait. Supporters for a moderate and friendly attitude toward China have won the upperhand. A "China fever" has been sweeping both the political and the business community. Heads of major conglomerates are jointly lobbying the government to amend the "no haste, be patient" policy and open up the "three direct links." The opposition parties have been pressing for a return to the 1992 consensus of "one China, with each side free to make its own interpretation" (一個中國, 各自表述).

Things are even looking up for those long-time mortal enemies, the KMT and the Chinese Communist Party. KMT Vice Chairman Wu Po-hsiung (吳伯雄) visited China at the end of last month. Foreign Minister Qian Qichen (錢其琛) used the old soft sell with Wu, saying "Mainland China and Taiwan all belong to one China." Wu responded by suggesting that China should be more rational and sensitive to the feelings of the people of Taiwan. However, the Chinese media focused on Qian's reiteration of the "one China principle," while deliberately downplaying Wu's comments. Once again, China used its "divide and rule" strategy, wearing one face for the those on the home front and one for outside.

The main problem in cross-strait relations is China's inherent lack of understanding -- of the situation and feelings of the people of Taiwan and of how a democratic and free society operates. As result, China constantly puts its foot in its mouth -- or shoots it off completely. China thought missiles and a diplomatic blockade could compel Taiwan's surrender. Wrong! The 1996 missile "tests" and Premier Zhu Rongji's (朱鎔基) threats ahead of this year's election only led the people of Taiwan to show their displeasure with China's antics at the ballot box.