Tsai’s address signals Taiwan's goodwill to China
Wed, Oct 12, 2022
President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) remark that her administration is willing to work with Beijing to find a “mutually agreeable arrangement” to uphold peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait signals goodwill toward China, analysts said yesterday.
Tsai made the remark during her Double Ten National Day address on Monday.
Unlike last year’s address, in which Tsai said the Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China “should not be subordinate to each other,” her remarks this year seem to offer an olive branch to improve cross-strait stability, said Chu Chao-hsiang (曲兆祥), a professor at National Taiwan Normal University’s Graduate Institute of Political Science.
Beijing’s “one China” principle views Taiwan as part of its territory.
Cross-strait ties involve not only Taiwan and China, but also international factors, in particular the ties between Washington and Beijing, Chu said.
However, as Tsai’s address is expected to draw less ire from China, it can be considered, to some extent, to be an expression of goodwill, he added.
Chu praised Tsai, who is also chairperson of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), for her emphasis on Taiwan’s plan to reopen its borders to foreign arrivals.
Tsai said in her address that cross-strait armed confrontation is “absolutely not an option,” adding: “We look forward to the gradual resumption of healthy and orderly cross-strait people-to-people exchanges after the loosening of border restrictions on both sides, thereby easing tensions in the Taiwan Strait.”
“Provided there is rationality, equality and mutual respect, we are willing to work with the Beijing authorities to find a mutually agreeable arrangement to uphold peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait,” she said.
Chu said Tsai came up with concrete measures to boost cross-strait interactions following reopening, adding that they are expected to help Beijing and Taipei reduce tensions.
Tensions rose particularly following US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s 19-hour visit to Taipei in early August, which prompted China to increase military exercises around Taiwan. Since then, Chinese military planes have repeatedly crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait.
Chang Wu-ueh (張五岳), an associate professor at Tamkang University’s Graduate Institute of China Studies, said although he is not naive enough to think Tsai’s speech would lead to a significant improvement in cross-strait ties or mutual trust between Taipei and Beijing any time soon, the president’s tone was unlikely to spark anger from China or worsen ties even further.
Chang also said using the border reopening to reinforce cross-strait exchanges could calm tensions between Taipei and Beijing.
However, Shi Yinhong (時殷弘), a professor of international studies at Renmin University in Beijing, said Tsai’s mention of “Taiwan’s sovereignty” in her address amounts to “Taiwan independence,” to which China strongly opposes.
Shi said he does not think Tsai adopted a softer approach in her address, adding that the “1992 consensus” is the only foundation for cross-strait ties.
The so-called “1992 consensus” — a term that former Mainland Affairs Council chairman Su Chi (蘇起) in 2006 admitted making up in 2000 — refers to a tacit understanding between the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Chinese Communist Party that both sides of the Taiwan Strait acknowledge that there is “one China,” with each side having its own interpretation of what “China” means.
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