In Taiwan’s political climate, nationalism is surging, giving the tianxia concept the upper hand. The ability to obtain sovereignty has become the only standard for differentiating between good and bad. As accusations of being a green card holder, Taiwanese traitor, or pro-Chinese abound, the Diaoyutai issue becomes the stage for conflict between Taiwan and Japan. With neither party wanting to back down, the island chain is not seen as a shared Asian asset.
China’s and Japan’s joint development of the East China Sea is a reflection of pan-Asianism, and so was Chinese President Hu Jintao’s (胡錦濤) visit to Japan. Another significant pan-Asianist experiment was President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) changing his anti-communist, anti-Japanese nationalist position in an attempt to build pro-Chinese and pro-Japanese policies with some level of credibility.
The Diaoyutai issue will not only be a test of Ma’s willingness to move closer to Japan. If the inability to do so leads to problems moving closer to an increasingly Japan-friendly China, the seeds of pan-Asianism will not take root in Taiwan.
Shih Chih-yu is a political science professor at National Taiwan University.
TRANSLATED BY EDDY CHANG
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