Reunification calls for more effort
- Source: Global Times
- [01:14 July 14 2010]
- Comments
Top negotiators from the mainland and Taiwan signed the long-awaited Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) on June 29. The first comprehensive economic pact across the Taiwan Straits over the past six decades, ECFA indicates a stride toward a unified market and historical consensus between the two. It will undoubtedly bring positive changes in cross-Straits relationship, which has witnessed major turbulence in the past decade.
However, ECFA's significance for peaceful reunification across the Straits cannot be overestimated. It's impractical to expect that an economic pact would break the political status quo in the Taiwan Straits in the forseeable future.
Since 2000, the two major parties in Taiwan, Kuomintang (KMT) and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), have been wrangling over two different approaches dealing with the mainland.
As Tsai Ing-wen, DPP's head, concluded in a recent TV debate with Ma Ying-jeou, Chairman of the ruling KMT, DPP sought to lead Taiwan to go global first and approach the mainland together with the world, while the KMT sought to lead Taiwan to join hands with the mainland first and then go global together.
Despite their differing tactics, the two do not essentially differ over Taiwan's future. DPP deplores ECFA's negative impact on Taiwan's uncompetitive factories, craftsmen and farmers, and worries that the mainland will thus "annex" Taiwan.
Ma has avoided specifying his approach to cross-Straits reunification, but this doesn't mean Ma endorses reunification. What he emphasizes, along with ECFA, is striving for pragmatic benefits from interactions with the mainland market.
US interference has further complicated the situation.
Earlier this year, US arms sale to Taiwan erased at one stroke the hard-won mutual trust across the Straits. Currently, the US is still seeking to maintain the status quo of cross-Straits situation to maximize its own interests in the region. The dynamics among the three parties won't be easily shaken.
Decades of estrangement have also led to misunderstandings and divergence of values between common people across the Straits.
In post-ECFA era, people on both sides will have more opportunities with each other. But the sense of estrangement won't vanish overnight. There may be friction between people on either side at the initial stage, due to different customs and manners.
Both sides need to be fully prepared for the difficulties in implementing ECFA.
Indeed, ECFA will bring substantial benefits to people on both sides and will probably create a positive atmosphere for political cooperation. But without real progress in political cooperation, mutual trust and a favorable international environment, the two sides cannot go further.
Cross-straits reunification would be a long, tough process that calls for painstaking effort. The effort would be worthwhile.
After all, the ultimate reunion of compatriots will be a boon to each and every Chinese.
