Taiwan’s newly-elected President Ma Ying-jeou is banking on his administration’s newly crafted policies to strategically improve relations with China, with the goal of achieving new peace in the cross-straits. Ma’s proclamation as president brings new hope to the people of the Republic of China after eight years of continued rule by Chen sui-bian. The former president, whose tenure ended last week (May 20), was known to have run head-on against the mainland to advocate for ROC’s independence, offended by the continued denial of membership in the United Nations, among other things, based on the One China Policy widely supported by the United States.
On election day last March 22, millions of ethnic Chinese worldwide watched the ballot counting online and on television. Taiwan has so far been the only ethnic Chinese society that has completed a second democratic turnover of power. Hence, the Taiwan democracy provides a good example for other ethnic Chinese communities struggling to have a democratic government.
President Ma’s new administration is off with a good start as his election was a result of successful democratic processes in which the people chose to vote fairly. He emphasizes the centerpiece of his administration — a vision of a robust trade and economic ties with Mainland China while maintaining sovereignty and without fighting for independence. What I like about his policy is pushing for a win-win situation for both China and Taiwan. Taiwan has a powerful high-tech economy which Ma thinks will boom if tied with China’s economy. In 2006, the volume of China’s trade with Taiwan reached $71 billion, out of which Taiwan enjoyed a huge surplus of $49 billion. On the other hand, Taiwan’s investment on China remains to be unprecedented in world trade, with the amount reaching an estimated $100 billion that same year. Both economies stand to benefit from increased trade. Ma declared that his government also wants to send teams to the Sichuan Province of China to help cope with the damage from the 7.9 magnitude earthquake which brought the region to rubbles, killing about 60,000 people so far, claiming that Taiwan’s experience in dealing with its own big quake in 1999 provides a good opportunity for the two sides to work together.
Ma’s emphasis on goodwill and non-confrontational policies and statements that are diplomatic and non-threatening seem to be earning points for him. Focusing more on maintaining the Chinese core values and way of life, he dismisses unification talks at the same time. He is appealing to the common Chinese heritage held by both Taiwan and the mainland that gives more than enough reason for both countries to join hands to promote democracy and prosperity instead of engaging in vicious competition and waste of resources.
Ma seems to be too good to be true for critics, reminding him that China continues to have an authoritarian rule, seemingly abandoning communism amidst a roaring economic dominance, which continues to prosper. I think that Ma is playing his cards well in ignoring the fact that the Chinese government has deployed over 1,000 missiles against Taiwan, or that the World Health Assembly continues to deny his country participation and membership. He seems confident that with the right blend of democracy and firm resolve to maintain independence, he will manage to bring out the positive in relationship with the mainland and thus achieve peace and harmony that has eluded the cross-straits for so long now and all for the benefit of Taiwan. What I think is if President Ma is seeking only the good and the positive, then with God’s grace, he might succeed and fulfill his promise of long lasting peace and prosperity to the people of Taiwan.
What we sow, we reap.
