A Chinese delegation led by Shanghai’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) Deputy Director Li Xiaodong (李驍東) made a three-day visit to Taipei last week, departing on Monday, marking the first visit by a Chinese government official since the pandemic began.
The delegation’s itinerary was kept secret from local media and the public, fueling mistrust and domestic tensions surrounding cross-strait relations. Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) city councilors said they suspected that Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), which traditionally favors close ties with China, had a hidden agenda.
Upon arrival, the delegation was met by a protest by Taiwanese independence supporters. They expressed displeasure about an enemy state making such a visit. Meanwhile, a group of pro-China supporters attended to welcome the delegation.
After meeting Chiang, Li said the visit would help cross-strait relations “bloom.”
Separately, KMT Vice Chairman Andrew Hsia (夏立言) on Monday reported the “achievements” of his controversial meetings in China earlier this month, in which he visited six cities and met with Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Politburo Standing Committee member Wang Huning (王滬寧) and TAO Director Song Tao (宋濤).
“Caring for Taiwanese in China, reflecting Taiwan’s grassroots public opinion and communicating with the new Chinese officials involved in Taiwan matters,” along with lowering cross-strait tensions, were among the achievements Hsia cited.
Media in China reported that Wang told Hsia in Beijing that the CCP and the KMT must form a mutual understanding that there is “one China,” and work together to counter Taiwanese independence sentiment, as well as increase exchanges and cooperation. Hsia reiterated those thoughts, Chinese media said.
Hsia on Tuesday said that he clearly told CCP officials that “heightened tensions across the Strait have caused unease among the general public in Taiwan.”
Chao Chun-shan (趙春山), a professor emeritus of China studies at Tamkang University, who accompanied Hsia during the visit, said with the DPP government lacking communication with Beijing, KMT-led dialogues play a major role in maintaining peace across the Strait. The CCP showing kindness to the KMT allowed Chao to sense “the warmth of spring,” but there is still a long road to go before flowers bloom while the DPP is in power.
After Hsia’s visit, TAO spokeswoman Zhu Fenglian (朱鳳蓮) said Beijing is willing to resume imports of Taiwanese agricultural and fishery products to China, and that under their common ideology, China is willing to increase interactions with KMT officials.
The KMT and CCP are working to create an impression that only the KMT is capable of creating peace and smooth economic relations to Taiwan as next year’s presidential election approaches.
The image campaign has played out in a series of KMT-CCP interactions this year, from China lifting a ban on 63 types of Taiwanese food imports after a KMT legislator met with Song last month, to Hsia’s visit to China, Li’s visit to Taiwan and the upcoming cross-strait forums.
However, the KMT downplays that it was Beijing that cut off communication with Taipei in 2016 after the DPP came to power. It was China that began intensifying military harassment and banned food imports. It was the CCP’s live-fire military drills around Taiwan that created unease among Taiwanese.
Many political figures and academics are anticipating a bloom in cross-strait relations, but it is worth questioning if the interactions are only allowing the KMT to blossom. The party eagerly craves power at the expense of the nation’s democracy and sovereignty. That sends the wrong message to democratic allies, and puts the country’s democracy in jeopardy.
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