Don’t get your hopes up
There has been a great deal of talk about President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) achievements regarding cross-strait relations. He has started a three-phase reconciliation process, which would end with a so-called “peace accord.”
Until now, Ma’s “achievements” reside solely in allowing weekend charter flights to and from China and accepting China’s gift of two pandas, when in fact it has always been China who has pushed for these exchanges. This means the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) has not requested anything on behalf of Taiwan but has only been conciliatory toward China in the hope that Beijing would reciprocate.
A little lesson in Canadian history will show that rules of reciprocity do not always work as expected.
The political relations between Canada and Quebec have always been difficult. When Jean Lesage won the 1960 elections in Quebec, a new wave of hope among Quebecers for self-assertion, economic growth and full recognition by Canada swept the nation. Under the slogan “Masters in our own House,” the new Quebec government started reforms, most of which would not be welcomed by the Canadian government. This did not stop Lesage, as he was ready to negotiate and compromise. Some initiatives, such as the creation of a provincial pension plan, were a success.
However, when it came to other federal-provincial relations, negotiations were not as easy. Quebec wanted the decentralization of the federal government, but the federal government was not willing to give up its powers. Another source of confrontation was in regards to the status of Quebec; in the 1960s, Quebec Province was still not fully recognized in the Canadian Confederation. The frustration level rose on both sides; Lesage had been the first to go to the federal government with open hands and he had accepted some of Canada’s demands (much like Ma has been willing and conciliatory with Beijing), and expectations of reciprocity were high.
The government refused Quebec’s demands and negotiations stalled. Finally, Lesage’s party was split into two factions, Quebec received little from the Canadian government and its people felt more isolated than ever.
Lesage did exactly as Ma is trying to do. He’s extending an olive branch to China, showing good will in the hope that by giving China a little space, it will give Taiwan a little in return.
Unfortunately, what he doesn’t realize is that China does not care about “reconciliation.” China has one agenda: total reunification. China will take whatever Taiwan gives, but when Ma’s turn comes, China will give him the cold shoulder.
Bringing peace to the Taiwan Strait would be a great achievement, but by expecting reciprocity from across the Strait, Ma will end up pushing Taiwan and China further apart when Beijing crushes these expectations and hopes.
P.S. Dangoisse
Taipei
To be healthy is glorious
The melamine scandal points to the limitations of Deng Xiaoping’s (鄧小平) 1992 credo “To get rich is glorious” just as global financial woes point to the limitations of capitalism without proper regulation and oversight designed to serve the public good (“Conspiracy of silence feeds food scandals,” Sept. 22, page 9).
In China, adding melamine boosted protein ratings of dairy products at low cost, raising profits while risking consumer health.
In the US, encouraging risky home mortgages boosted short-term profits but has now imploded, leading to a sea change on Wall Street so dramatic that its long-term effects are just beginning to appear.
The credos “greed is good” and “to get rich is glorious” have invited such excess. All credos oversimplify at their peril. But to be alive and healthy, now that truly is glorious.
William Cooper
President emeritus
University of Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
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