On June 13, Panama terminated its diplomatic relations with the Republic of China (ROC), sparking outrage and disbelief among many Taiwanese.
The incident shows that gestures of goodwill and self-restraint from President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) administration have not been met in kind by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which continues to be guided by its realist approach.
This is deeply ironic considering that this happened so soon after several Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) mayors advocated the development of friendlier relations with China, and looking back, those politicians must have especially complicated feelings about what has happened.
With increased pressure from China, the government should change its tactics, learn to be more flexible and think outside the box.
As it stands, China’s growing economic and military power has given it the upper hand in bargaining with Taiwan. Despite its claim that people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are one big family, China, which is still an authoritarian country dominated by materialist thought, will habitually resort to intimidation and material rewards to settle political disputes.
As Taiwan is the only Chinese-speaking democracy, the world admires and envies the nation’s freedom and democracy. Its economic and military strength also places it among the more advanced countries in the world. The government must take its diplomatic situation seriously, while being flexible and doing all it can to secure the best interests for Taiwan.
It would be wrong to think that Taiwan is inferior or that the nation is fighting a losing battle against China.
Today, it has become a cliche to talk about solidarity, yet it cannot be denied that this is especially important for Taiwan.
Democracy is a system that requires communication between disparate groups. The diverse voices of the public and civic groups, as well as competing political parties and the separation of powers, ensure that the government operates in a balanced way. In a diverse democratic society, disagreements and opposition are inevitable, but it is citizens, through their democratic participation, that are the masters of a nation and have both the right and the responsibility to determine its fate.
Of all political organizations, the public is the strongest force driving unity and solidarity. In mature democracies, political parties set aside their disagreements on domestic policies when it comes to national defense and foreign affairs. When faced with an external enemy, they come together and show that opposites can work together in line with democratic ideals.
Protecting Taiwan’s democracy and freedom should be the mutual goal of all Taiwanese, regardless of political leaning.
Cross-strait policies affect Taiwan’s future and the public must be allowed to decide the nation’s direction through a mechanism that allows them to share the responsibility for that decision.
Past years have seen the rise of strongmen around the world. Nonetheless, democracy will always have its allies. In addition, only democracy can nurture a real sense of community strong enough to protect Taiwan.
The past authoritarian government used deception, propaganda and censorship to control the nation. In today’s society, the public rules the nation.
Taiwanese must have faith in democracy as they work through the democratic process to decide the nation’s future. Together, they must be prepared for the diplomatic challenges that lie ahead and share the responsibility of protecting the nation.
Ho Hsin-chuan is a professor at National Chengchi University’s Department of Philosophy.
Translated by Tu Yu-an
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