Elite Reference, the publication of the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) Communist Youth League of China, has quoted top leaders in the People's Liberation Army (PLA) as saying that the PLA has discussed dismantling the missiles aimed at Taiwan and toning down military exercises following Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan's (
Although still awaiting official confirmation, the strictness with which the CCP controls Chinese media and the Youth League's closeness to the CCP imply that this piece of news is highly likely to be true.
It is interesting to observe that the CCP did not fulfill Lien's wish by making such a statement as a gift to him in exchange for his visit.
Even before Lien traveled to Beijing to pay tribute, he declared that he would make the dismantling of the missiles the topic of talks. In the end, Lien was afraid to bring it up, and Chinese President Hu Jintao (
A reasonable conjecture is that Lien's declaration that he had joined hands with the CCP to block Taiwanese independence and Soong's proposal of the "two sides, one China" dictum would not achieve China's "united front" goals in relation to Taiwan.
If China now is preparing to dismantle the missiles, it is of course a return to their old ways of "pinning their hopes on the people of Taiwan," while at the same time decreasing pressure from the reaction against the passage of the "Anti-Secession" Law. This move is not only for Taiwanese eyes, but also for American ones.
The question is what use it will be to dismantle the missiles if China really wants to extend an olive branch or manifest its "peaceful rise." After the Anti-Secession Law saw the light of day, the dismantling of the missiles has become a minor issue. If China really wants to show goodwill toward Taiwan, abolishing the law is the best way to go.
What's more, the missiles were deployed before the passage of the law, which shows that the law takes precedence over the missiles. Following the principle that more recent legislation takes precedence over older, dismantling the missiles will not necessarily mean that China will give up using "non-peaceful means."
From the perspective of Beijing's leadership, they probably feel that this would be a retreat. But as far as Taiwan goes, there can be no talk of peace so long as China does not give up the option to use military force. It is just as Mencius said: "What difference does it make if you kill someone with a club or with a knife?"
In one hand the CCP has its missiles and in the other the "Anti-Secession" Law.
It's just like meeting a robber holding a knife in one hand and a gun in the other -- would putting the knife away be a show of goodwill? We don't want the gun pointed at our head.
Sha Zukang (
Lien's and Soong's support for the CCP, to sell out Taiwan and endorse the Anti-Secession Law, is the insoluble contradiction in the relationship between Taiwan and China.
Unless that contradiction is eliminated, no amount of action will be enough to gain the trust of the Taiwanese people.
Chin Heng-wei is editor-in-chief of Contemporary Monthly magazine.
Translated by Perry Svensson
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