Taiwan has problems that require political solutions: the economy and trade; power generation and the transition to sustainable energy sources; an aging society; the balance between discipline and individual expression for students and privacy concerns at schools; and burgeoning fraud. Not every issue is about China, even though it seems that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is permanently foremost in politicians’ minds. It is Taiwan’s burden that it has to waste political energy on a noisome neighbor.
There is a Chinese idiom about a sandpiper, a clam and a fisherman illustrating that when two sides are in a dispute, it is often a third party that benefits.
With the constant bickering between the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of the pan-green camp and the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) of the pan-blue camp, it is no wonder that Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) has captured the imaginations of voters, especially those of the younger generation, by purporting to offer a departure from the green-blue dichotomy and a refreshing focus on domestic issues.
The cross-strait relationship does matter. The idiom fails to mention the malevolent presence waiting to swoop down on the three protagonists. If the CCP were to annex Taiwan, neither Ko nor the DPP or KMT would ultimately have much power to decide how the nation is governed.
In Monday’s televised policy debate, the KMT’s vice presidential candidate, Broadcasting Corp of China chairman Jaw Shaw-kong (趙少康), said that cross-strait relations should be given precedence over other diplomatic ties. It makes sense to a degree that the KMT would play for time by preserving the “status quo” until the international situation evolves into conditions more favorable to Taiwan.
Jaw does not want to do anything that could provoke the CCP, and the KMT has shown itself to be suspicious of the US, not wanting to rely too much on assistance from Washington — or Japan — in the event of war across the Taiwan Strait.
President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) has taken a different tack by improving ties and economic engagement with like-minded partners, including the US, Japan and India, as well as other Southeast Asian nations, which has the potential of creating more time for Taiwan.
India has been developing its engagement with the international community, including Taiwan, with some consideration toward balancing Chinese influence in the region. If the KMT is reluctant to work more closely with the US and Japan because of suspicion and historical baggage, then India, with its growing economy, interest in playing a leadership role in the Global South, demonstrated affinity with Taiwan on a civic, legislative and official level, and suspicion of the CCP would seem to be a perfect candidate to balance the situation. All the KMT would need to do is continue the good work the government and Taiwan’s private sector have started in developing Taiwan-India ties. Unfortunately, the party does not seem to be interested.
In the presidential policy debate on Dec. 20 last year, the KMT’s candidate, New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜), questioned a recently proposed policy of allowing 10,000 Indian migrant workers into Taiwan, misrepresenting it to mean that Taiwan would suddenly be flooded with migrant workers stealing job opportunities from Taiwanese, even though he knows that this is not the way the policy would work.
However, he has previously called for Chinese students to move to Taiwan and remain here, and wants to reopen talks on a cross-strait service trade agreement that would almost certainly endanger Taiwanese jobs. This is giving cross-strait relations precedence over ties with other countries, and making it obvious to emerging allies. This policy would expedite the risk, not give Taiwan more time.
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