Nov
6
No Surprise Here: Beijing Not Playing Nice in Cross-Straight Relations
Filed Under China, Taiwan | Leave a Comment
In the October 30 Wall Street Journal Asia, the Cato Institute’s Ted Galen Carpenter writes:
Officials in Washington and Beijing seemed relieved when Taiwan’s moderate Kuomintang took control of the legislature earlier this year and Ma Ying-jeou was elected president. But that optimism is fading fast as China’s lack of meaningful concessions has undermined Mr. Ma’s political position. It’s becoming clear that the Taiwan side has done all it can so far. The next steps will depend on Beijing.
Don’t hold your breath. Really, what motivation does China have to concede to Taiwan anything “meaningful” at all? Most all of the West–and certainly the United States specifically– and the United Nations as a body, routinely kowtows to Beijing’s ludicrous claim over Taiwan and stands mutely by while China marginalizes Taiwan’s efforts at international recognition. Carpenter notes that China has been willing to play along around the edges, such as the establishment of direct air links between Taiwan and Mainland China. But what about the big things…like Beijing’s threats of annihilation against Taiwan?
Carpenter continues:
So it’s important that Mr. Ma be able to show voters he’s not simply making an endless series of one-sided concessions. Yet Beijing hasn’t been willing to play ball so far. Despite repeated calls in Taiwan for Beijing to remove the more than 1,200 missiles aimed at the island, Chinese leaders show no inclination to reduce that number. Nor has Beijing shown any willingness to allow Taiwan to become a member of the World Health Organization or other international bodies. That unresponsiveness plays into the hands of DPP hardliners who argue Taiwan has gained little from Mr. Ma’s conciliatory efforts.