In a recent issue of The Economist (July 28), an article headlined Business trumps politics argues that China's best policy for dealing with Taiwan is to "wait patiently and welcome its business," so that it can attain its goal of peaceful annexation sooner or later. What a poignant remark.
In view of the "China fever" growing among local political, business and media groups and the all-out effort being made by some at the Economic Development Advisory Conference to promote the establishment of direct links and the easing of the "no haste, be patient" policy, it is not difficult to see the validity of the The Economist's point. This should serve as a warning call.
According to the article, "des-pite the occasional outburst of bellicose language from Beijing, and ritual military maneuvers in the Taiwan Strait, China is concentrating on wooing the island's business people. It knows that high production costs in Taiwan are forcing the island's manufacturers to move elsewhere to stay competitive."
China, with "its vast potential market, cheap labor and cultural similarities," has become a powerful magnet for Taiwanese businessmen. The article also mentions that "last year Taiwanese government-approved investment in China soared by 108 percent to US$2.54 billion ? In the first half of this year, investment [in China] has grown by nearly 24 percent compared with the same period last year, with half of the money going into high-tech industries."
China adopts a strategy of separating politics from economics, and its attitude toward political issues is "don't ask, don't tell." China tries to conceal its fierce-looking face and ambition toward Taiwan. "China knows that no matter what the political background of Taiwanese investors, all of them want the Taiwanese government to lift its restrictions on economic dealings" with China and establish direct links, according to the article.
The joint efforts of pro-unification media and activists in Taiwan adding fuel to the flames and businessmen pressuring the government will be much more economical and effective for China than launching missiles at Taiwan.
In reality, the relaxation of the "no haste" policy and establishment of direct links had already been discussed at the National Economic Development Conference (
Though they failed to completely reach their goal, they did successfully break the shackles of the "no haste" policy set in the KMT era. A major resolution of the conference was that the government should declare its willingness to negotiate with China before establishing direct links.
In the era of KMT rule, the establishment of direct links was a medium-term policy set out in the Guidelines for National Unification (國家統一綱領). The then-government used to promote economic relations with China as a short-term policy and believed that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait could not enter the medium term until political problems had been solved.
The DPP government's decision to declare its willingness at the development conference to establish direct links through negotiation has opened the door wider than the KMT government ever did.
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