Dr. Wordman, US-China Forum Bilingual Columnist
Abstract
Pursue Independence has impossible hurdles while accepting peaceful reunification requires most of the Taiwan people to truly understand the real meaning and advantages of One Country for Two Shores. Taking a realistic assessment based only on the interests of the Taiwanese people, the choice is peaceful reunification.
5. The above four analyses often get twisted by emotional arguments not constructive for unifying people's positions. The following analysis is purely based on the consideration of Taiwan's interests. With no argument, the people in Taiwan love peace and hate war. What they desire is economic prosperity and happiness for their descendants. So based on this principle and self-interest point of view, we can derive the following arguments to support peaceful reunification:
(I) National defense, military spending, and diplomacy - As an independent Taiwan, it will likely fight wars on its turf requiring a significant military force and budget. To acquire armaments, it must pay huge commissions only to get second-class weapons from other nations. Taiwan must train soldiers to take a high risk in experimenting with foreign weaponry as well as to suffer high casualties in battles. Experience of spending money buying diplomatic recognition from a few small countries showed that such high-cost diplomacy (in tens of billions) yields little benefit for Taiwanese people other than keeping a few diplomatic offices. South Korea, Japan, the Philippines, and Ukraine, are all nominally independent nations, but they are diplomatically bound like pawns in a chess game. Is this the goal of Taiwan's desperate struggle for independence? Is claiming independence just for keeping a country title and a set of government positions for officials worth the risk of war and crushing the economy? Will the people of Taiwan have a future and their children and grandchildren be happy?
(II) Economy, foreign trade, and cultural development - Taiwan can’t escape from the mainland's huge market better than South Korea, Singapore, and Japan can. Why would Taiwan run away from the Mainland market in the first place? Are the nation title and a few official positions more important than trade surplus and prosperity for people? Will Independence guarantee future generations their good lives and proud global citizenship? Can cutting off Chinese cultural roots and creating an independent Taiwanese culture ever be possible? Can Taiwanese people bear the consequences of forgetting and abandoning their ancestors? Korea and Japan have not been able to get rid of Chinese characters (literature) and Chinese culture and customs for hundreds of years, is denying the cultural tie meaningful? Do the people of Taiwan want to forget their roots?
(III) Mentality of the people and government on both sides of the Taiwan Strait - Mainland people love their Taiwan compatriots. But as the economy, diplomacy, and military are gradually becoming stronger, they have become more confident, especially young folks. The older generation has turned from love to hate as Taiwan shows anti-China sentiment. Young people in the Mainland are simply surprised and puzzled. Is this the outcome the Taiwan people want? The mainland government maintains a firm conviction on reunification and extreme patience. Therefore, the Mainland welcomes all Taiwanese people and party politicians; they maintain that anything can be discussed if it is not anti-China and is accepting the one-China principle for pursuing mutual benefit and progress. Best let the wisdom and time work out a peaceful reunification. This attitude has persisted in the Mainland for 75 years and has not changed as China grew stronger. This attitude remained the same despite the U.S. increasing its tricks of suppressing China – lately applying all measures possible, including using Taiwan as a pawn to prevent China's rise. Does Taiwan want to be a pawn in the future?
In the name of democracy and freedom, the Taiwan government has gradually deviated from its principles and resorted to tricks to fool the people (voters). Taiwan's government has shifted from the Three People's Principles (government serves and benefits the people) to safeguarding the interests of government officials with power, lying, cheating, and deceiving the people. The current ruling party, DPP, accepts favors and profits from the mainland in trade but shows no desire nor sincerity for reunification. It lies and cheats the people to gain votes and ignores the fact that the mainland is gaining international prestige and patiently waiting for peaceful unification. The people on two sides of the Taiwan Strait share many cultural similarities but the DPP is mounting a De-Chinese effort from education to social policies. However, the Taiwan people will not be fooled forever. With communication and interactions, people are waking up to the facts. Most people in Taiwan do not care about international and world affairs. They are content within their spheres and fortunes. Taiwanese businessmen used to be busy making money from/in the mainland for good profit and remain vague about reunification, but now they must adopt a correct position since the strained US-China relations are forcing China to resolve the Taiwan issue sooner rather than later. Taiwanese businessmen saw the rise of mainland China and had to accept the reality and predictions brought by facts. Those who are pro-China and anti-China must now take a clear stand. Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Indonesia have all taken a stand wisely. It’s time that Taiwanese people will do so!
Conclusion – Two Countries on Two Shores is never as good as One Country on Two Shores.
When the two sides of the strait are one country, the Chinese people on both sides will be respected all around the world. Opportunities for mutual benefit for the people on both sides will greatly increase, such as education, employment, entrepreneurship, making friends, traveling, recognizing each other's ancestors, flourishing Chinese culture and virtues, complementing each other, and improving world harmony. On the contrary, if two countries were on two sides of the Taiwan Strait, strained tension would result. Japan and China, South Korea and China, India and China, and India and Pakistan are living examples of tension. It is better to unify the two sides than to take the difficult road of seeking an unrealistic independence.
There are so many practical reasons, small or big, we can cite for a reunified China. First of all, the people will benefit from international communications (Inter-operation of Line and WeChat and usage of Beidou maritime navigation), increased educational opportunities and employment possibilities, prevention of financial fraud, and participation in and hosting international activities, (note: G7's support for Taiwan’s 'meaningful participation in international organizations' means that Taiwan is not a nation.). People on both sides of the Taiwan Strait will enjoy more business opportunities, money-making, and investment opportunities. Traveling (enjoying delicious food and beautiful scenery), spending retired life for the elderly, returning to one's roots, and worshiping ancestors are all rights available to people on both sides.
“China will pursue unlimited expansion” has no basis or logic. It is also wrong to say that China has the same hegemony and exceptionalism concepts as the U.S. does. China's rise is not a premeditated plot nor an ambitious design. It is simply the hard work of the people and the right policy of the government and society that values jobs more than profits and believes in win-win cooperation to promote peace and prosperity. The U.S. and China are two great nations, their relations will eventually improve, and Taiwan's future will be clear. Realistic observation can predict that the direction of U.S.-China relations will change from tough to stable, relaxed, cooperative, and conciliatory. Correspondingly, China will gradually change from resisting to firm, patient, cooperative, and conciliatory to welcoming collaboration. Taiwan's future currently seems to be uncertain and worrisome. However, if ordinary citizens want to control their future, they will wake up, recognize the reality, and actively participate in cross-strait exchanges, and they will not be deceived for long.
One country for two shores will give the people on both sides the opportunity to learn from each other and make progress together on the meaning of true democracy. They will allow the government the opportunity to adopt the good and eliminate the bad and to govern the country respecting people like heaven. Predictably the Sino-US relations will normalize as both accept reality and the Taiwanese people will wise up. The U.S. and China will use their resources and follow the path of fair competition between two great powers under a balanced system of capitalism/market and socialism/human rights.
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