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Editorial: Taiwan must keep a united front

Last Tuesday, President Chen-Shui-bian (陳水扁) presided over a meeting between officials from the Presidential Office, the Cabinet and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to discuss China "Anti-Secession" Law and the signing of a 10-point agreement between Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Vice Chairman Chiang Pin-kun (江丙坤) and Beijing's Taiwan Affairs Office Director Chen Yunlin (陳雲林).

The meeting concluded with a seven-point consensus stipulating that the government should try to stem the recent outbreak of China fever. In order to do so, the government would not shy away from a tough approach, including taking legal action against Chiang. As a result, the KMT decided to terminate negotiations with the government.

The recent wave of China fever began with the February summit between Chen and People First Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜). While that meeting created the possibility of cross-party reconciliation, it also opened a political Pandora's box, one that has already become a nightmare.

Most of the points in the Chen-Soong agreement dealing with cross-strait relations, national security and ethnic relations have come to naught. There is still no chance of the arms procurement bill being brought before the legislature for review. Despite Soong's goodwill efforts, the PFP efforts to restrict the government continue unabated. The relationship between ethnic groups, the government and opposition is still as tense as it was before the February meeting.

As a result of the Chen-Soong agreement, the president has retreated to the "one China under the constitution" position for defining Taiwan's national status. This drew attacks from the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) and other pro-independence groups, while China completely ignored it. The goodwill extended by the Chen administration to China has triggered a "policy competition" between Taiwan's ruling and opposition parties. The 10-point agreement between Chiang and Chen Yunlin has reduced the pressure that Taipei and the international community put on Beijing after the enactment of Anti-Secession Law.

Future visits to China by Soong and KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) must bring even "better" results to save their "face." This means national interests will be again be sacrificed for individual and party interests and short-term gains.

There may be another meeting between Chen and Soong in the next few days. Perhaps it is time that Lien is invited for talks between government and opposition, and that the 10-point agreement is reviewed. Such a review does not imply overturning the agreement. Rather, it could be a pragmatic amendment of the empty phrases in the agreement, and a redefinition of the topics in order to create a feasible plan for national security and the cross-strait relationship.

The PFP dances around, saying that a strong national defense is the only way to guarantee peace in the Taiwan Strait yet continuing to boycott the arms budget and reaching agreements that it refuses to implement. If the PFP feel that the arms purchase isn't a matter of national interest, they should say so outright and come up with their own national security plan that could be reviewed in the legislature.

Beijing appears to be getting more flexible in its carrot-stick approaches to Taiwan, while government and opposition in this country have their own delusory China fever. This will only lead to more Chinese attempts to manipulate Taiwan's domestic contradictions. The government must cool the current bout of China fever to stop both Beijing and the opposition from going out of control. Only if there is a difference between government and opposition enthusiasm will there be room for negotiation. If not, Taiwan's hard-won foundation will be all but destroyed by the opposition's frenzied efforts to take the initiative.
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