While most domestic discussion on the cross-strait relationship has been focused on the summit between US President George W. Bush and Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) on Thursday next week, the "economic and trade forum" between the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) this week deserves more attention.
Despite the KMT's explanation that the agenda of the forum will involve only economic issues, the political implications of the forum and the meeting between former KMT chairman Lien Chan (連戰) and Hu this Sunday have cast a shadow over the national interest.
The timing of this year's KMT-CCP forum is politically calculated and should be seen as part of Beijing's "divide and conquer" strategy to isolate the administration of President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁). It provides Hu with a means of blaming the current cross-strait impasse on Chen when Hu meets Bush.
Despite Washington's call to talk to Chen and his government, Beijing insists on bypassing the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration and dealing only with the pan-blue opposition.
Utilizing Taiwan's domestic politics is the core of Beijing's underhand strategy. However, it is the KMT's willingness to dance to China's tune that reinforces Beijing's capacity to ignore the Chen administration.
It is also clear that Hu will use the example of the KMT-CCP talks to convince his US counterpart that Chen and the DPP are the major obstacles toward cross-strait dialogue.
Beijing's philosophy of "uniting with the lesser enemy to oppose the main enemy" fits with the KMT's goal and Lien's personal desire to open the door to China. Nevertheless, the KMT and Lien's scheme runs the risk of sabotaging the national interest, national security, sovereignty and dignity.
Lien has fallen into Beijing's trap and is a tool in China's game of dividing local political forces. He has assisted in creating an international misperception that cross-strait tensions are primarily the result of Chen's leadership.
The notion of "it's all Chen's fault" created by the pan-blue camp has not only permeated the international community but is also hurting the government's ability to bargain with China.
Furthermore, Beijing's ambiguous "agreements" with Lien and People First Party Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) last year on the fictitious "1992 consensus" as the basis for the resumption of cross-strait talks have misled the public over China's intentions.
Beijing's wish to exploit Chen's weak leadership explains its pressure on his administration to accept its "one China" principle without responding to the numerous olive branches he has offered.
This also explains why Chen suggested to KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) last week that "he would absolutely respect" the idea of "one China with each side having its own interpretation."
One way to break Beijing's divide-and-conquer strategy is to nourish conflict between the KMT and the CCP. During his earlier meeting with Ma, Chen called on Lien to clarify the so-called "1992 consensus" with Hu.
Since Beijing has stuck to its own interpretation that "one China" means the People's Republic of China and that Taiwan is part of it, there is no room for the Chinese leadership to accept any "consensus" based on "two Chinas" or "one China with different interpretations" as proposed by the KMT.
If the KMT and the CCP agree on "one China" with differing interpretations, then Beijing must say whether it agrees with the "1992 consensus."
It is of utmost importance that members of the international community, especially our friends in the US, are able to decipher Beijing's strategy and demand an equal and peaceful negotiation between China and Taiwan.
Liu Kuan-teh is a political commentator based in Taipei.
There is much evidence that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is sending soldiers from the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — and is learning lessons for a future war against Taiwan. Until now, the CCP has claimed that they have not sent PLA personnel to support Russian aggression. On 18 April, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelinskiy announced that the CCP is supplying war supplies such as gunpowder, artillery, and weapons subcomponents to Russia. When Zelinskiy announced on 9 April that the Ukrainian Army had captured two Chinese nationals fighting with Russians on the front line with details
On a quiet lane in Taipei’s central Daan District (大安), an otherwise unremarkable high-rise is marked by a police guard and a tawdry A4 printout from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicating an “embassy area.” Keen observers would see the emblem of the Holy See, one of Taiwan’s 12 so-called “diplomatic allies.” Unlike Taipei’s other embassies and quasi-consulates, no national flag flies there, nor is there a plaque indicating what country’s embassy this is. Visitors hoping to sign a condolence book for the late Pope Francis would instead have to visit the Italian Trade Office, adjacent to Taipei 101. The death of
By now, most of Taiwan has heard Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an’s (蔣萬安) threats to initiate a vote of no confidence against the Cabinet. His rationale is that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)-led government’s investigation into alleged signature forgery in the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) recall campaign constitutes “political persecution.” I sincerely hope he goes through with it. The opposition currently holds a majority in the Legislative Yuan, so the initiation of a no-confidence motion and its passage should be entirely within reach. If Chiang truly believes that the government is overreaching, abusing its power and targeting political opponents — then
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), joined by the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), held a protest on Saturday on Ketagalan Boulevard in Taipei. They were essentially standing for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which is anxious about the mass recall campaign against KMT legislators. President William Lai (賴清德) said that if the opposition parties truly wanted to fight dictatorship, they should do so in Tiananmen Square — and at the very least, refrain from groveling to Chinese officials during their visits to China, alluding to meetings between KMT members and Chinese authorities. Now that China has been defined as a foreign hostile force,
RSS