On Dec. 27, President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) suggested the idea of a EU-style integration model. On the face of things, he was responding to the conclusions of former Mainland Affairs Council vice chairman Chen Ming-tung's (陳明通) report at a memorial held for Sun Yat-sen (孫逸仙) not long ago: "We should think about the future of cross-strait relations along the lines of European integration."
The conclusion clearly states that this is the government's strategic goal for the cross-strait relationship.
Chen first mentioned the concept of a European model when he attended a banquet hosted by the European Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan in June 2002. He then talked of several main directions in a statement in January 2003, when he said that "the two sides of the Taiwan Strait should establish a framework for peaceful and stable interaction" and "begin with economic exchanges and cooperation to jointly build a vision of a new spring."
This implies that a European-style integration model is not merely a flight of fancy, but part of the government's cross-strait policy.
However, this European-style integration model is an inappropriate approach to thinking about the future of our country.
First, the cross-strait relationship does not offer the conditions required for European-style integration. Building a vision for the nation's future on non-existent conditions creates a dangerous illusion. We must understand that the EU is a conglomeration of sovereign states. In other words, only after a sovereign and independent nation has been established can there be talk of economic integration.
And as China sees Taiwan as one of its provinces, talking about integration using the same conditions as Europe while Taiwan's sovereignty is being attacked only denigrates Taiwan and traps it within a Chinese framework that will eventually suffocate it.
Second, the government's biggest mistake in the past five years has been to adopt a cross-strait strategy that begins with economic integration and progresses toward political integration. In other words, as long as its counterpart does not recognize Taiwan's sovereignty, unilaterally following this dangerous road is the equivalent of heading down a path of no return.
The government has not won any concessions from China, but by first calling an Economic Development Advisory Conference and then adopting a cross-strait policy of active deregulation, it instead finds itself carrying out China's policy of promoting unification through economic means.
The past five years have seen unchecked economic integration. Taiwan's export dependence on China has increased from 24.18 percent to 37.21 percent, while the proportion of Taiwanese exports produced in China has increased to 41 percent. For laptop computers, that figure was 82 percent last year, when accumulated Taiwanese investments in China reached an amazing US$278 billion (according to a study by a US think tank).
The payback for this has been a fiercer China that applies even more pressure on Taiwan in the international arena, while the domestic economy becomes less dynamic. This only helps to create more voters with a muddled understanding of national identity.
Third, it is an irreversible mistake to pin the hopes of Taiwan's economic future on China.
The government seems to be naively ignoring the cruel reality that China is much bigger than Taiwan, and making the mistake of thinking that integration with China will enhance the nation's economy. It is also infatuated with China's long history, while lacking an understanding of Taiwan's history. Neither does it understand that the sheer size of China means that integration will marginalize Taiwan and force it to recognize Beijing as its master.
Incompetent rule in Taiwan by the Qing authorities, the 228 Incident and the conversion of Taiwan dollars to the New Taiwan dollar in 1949 at a rate of 40,000 to 1 after four years under Nationalist government, as well as the slowing Taiwanese economy after the opening up to China in 1990, have proven this point over and over again.
The closer the integration with China, the faster the marginalization of Taiwan.
Although this may be beneficial to local and foreign businesses, it is most certainly not beneficial to ordinary Taiwanese people.
Taiwanese investment in China is 10 times greater than that of South Korea. Despite this, Taiwan's economic performance over the past 10 years has not measured up to South Korea's.
We hope that the government will wake up from its fantasies of EU-style integration and give up dreaming about China.
Instead, it should try to become part of the Pacific region. This is the only way to return to the Democratic Progressive Party's founding spirit. If a country lacks the will to build a sustainable existence, how will its people be able to identify with it?
The terrible mistake of giving priority to economic issues over political issues is the source of all of our national identification problems.
Translated by Perry Svensson
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.