From killing Chinese communists to shaking hands with Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials, the Chinese Nationalist Party's (KMT) 180-degree turn should be watched with caution by Chinese people who desire democracy.
Can cooperation between the two parties bring happiness and prosperity to the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait?
"Faced with China's rise, we should be benign, optimistic and focused on co-existence and shared prosperity," former KMT chairman Lien Chan (
Chinese people should be able to surmise from such statements that Lien was in fact talking about co-existence between two parties -- the KMT and the CCP -- and not about the co-existence of a democratic China and a democratic Taiwan.
Lien never got over his loss in the presidential election, nor did he ever understand the true meaning of democracy, which is why he is so keen on flying across the Strait to gain support there to undermine the democratically elected president of his rival party in Taiwan.
"Shared prosperity" to Lien means the prosperity of a few party officials in the KMT and the CCP parties, not the prosperity of the two nations in general.
Chinese should remember the history of KMT corruption that made Chiang Kai-shek (
Every amendment to the party's policies or regulations has been tailor-made for presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou (
Chinese should embrace the idea of an independent and democratic Taiwan because democracy in Taiwan places pressure on the Chinese authorities to democratize.
There are ample opportunities for joint prosperity after China becomes democratic, and when both sides respect each other's cultural and historical diversity, there will always be a space for regional co-operation.
Some potential models are the bigger EU, the smaller Nordic Council and, somewhere in between, the Council of the Baltic Sea States.
These inter-governmental organizations were formed out of a need for regional cooperation and without disrespecting the member states' borders or cultural diversity.
Taiwanese democracy and independence are not a threat to regional security in the Asia-Pacific region, but rather an opportunity for China to follow suit.
In contrast, China's ongoing authoritarian rule not only conflicts with the Chinese desire for democracy, but also represents a threat to China's neighbors and the rest of the world.
Who will be the next Chinese leader with a clear vision for its people and for its neighbors?
The people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are waiting for a Chinese Gorbachev to appear and for Lien Chan to disappear.
Alison Hsieh
Greece
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
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.
As Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu’s party won by a landslide in Sunday’s parliamentary election, it is a good time to take another look at recent developments in the Maldivian foreign policy. While Muizzu has been promoting his “Maldives First” policy, the agenda seems to have lost sight of a number of factors. Contemporary Maldivian policy serves as a stark illustration of how a blend of missteps in public posturing, populist agendas and inattentive leadership can lead to diplomatic setbacks and damage a country’s long-term foreign policy priorities. Over the past few months, Maldivian foreign policy has entangled itself in playing
A group of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers led by the party’s legislative caucus whip Fu Kun-chi (?) are to visit Beijing for four days this week, but some have questioned the timing and purpose of the visit, which demonstrates the KMT caucus’ increasing arrogance. Fu on Wednesday last week confirmed that following an invitation by Beijing, he would lead a group of lawmakers to China from Thursday to Sunday to discuss tourism and agricultural exports, but he refused to say whether they would meet with Chinese officials. That the visit is taking place during the legislative session and in the aftermath