Urgent Need for Old and New Generation Cooperation on Chinese Reunification

Urgent Need for Old and New Generation Cooperation on Chinese Reunification

China Times Editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)

A Translation

August 17, 2015

Executive Summary:

"Natural independence" is a new buzzword that emerged from the Sunflower Student Movement. It refers to a new phenomenon in Taiwan's political environment. Just what is "natural independence"? Lin Cho-shui, dubbed Taiwan independence theoretician, explains: "The older generation's education determined its sense of national identity. Reunification was then a mainstream value. Reunification for them became second nature. Considerable soul searching was necessary before they could become reoriented toward independence. But young people are growing up in an era when Taiwan independence is the mainstream value. Therefore, they exemplify ‘natural independence.’”

Full Text Below:

"Natural independence" is a new buzzword that emerged from the Sunflower Student Movement. It refers to a new phenomenon in Taiwan's political environment. Just what is "natural independence"? Lin Cho-shui, dubbed Taiwan independence theoretician, explains: "The older generation's education determined its sense of national identity. Reunification was then a mainstream value. Reunification for them became second nature. Considerable soul searching was necessary before they could become reoriented toward independence. But young people are growing up in an era when Taiwan independence is the mainstream value. Therefore, they exemplify ‘natural independence.’”

The claim that "Taiwan independence has become a mainstream value" is of course an exaggeration. It would be more accurate to say that a "Taiwanese consciousness" and "Taiwan consciousness" are mainstream values. Just before the Sunflower Student Movement erupted, a TVBS opinion poll showed that 78% of people consider themselves Taiwanese. Among these, 89% of 20 to 29 year olds consider themselves Taiwanese. This is even higher than the percentage for those over 60. Thinking of oneself as Taiwanese, however, is hardly the same as advocating Taiwan independence. But intervention by political and social forces does indeed cultivate advocates for Taiwan independence.

This reveals the internal contradiction in "natural independence" rhetoric. Were it not for the intervention of political and social forces, Taiwan consciousness would not naturally lead to calls for Taiwan independence. So-called "natural independence" ideology is anything but natural. It would be more accurate to call it "new Taiwan independence" thought. In fact, Lin Cho-shui, advocate of "natural independence," made a Freudian slip when he said: "We should rejoice. For the past 20 years the DPP has bickered over the Taiwan independence party platform. Fortunately, however, it never gave up. Otherwise, it is doubtful whether Taiwan society today would offer an environment for the younger generation to be ‘natural independence’ elements.” This confirms that the DPP Taiwan independence party platform and other Taiwan independence movements served as catalysts for “new Taiwan independence” thinking.

Lin Cho-shui said something else interesting. He said "New Taiwan independence forces have given Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen a huge boost". He said this was the reason Tsai Ing-wen said Taiwan independence consciousness has become a "natural ingredient" for the younger generation. Tsai Ing-wen's statement was made after the Sunflower Student Movement incident ended, and before last year's DPP National Party Congress convened. Her motive was to fend off public demands that the DPP to freeze its Taiwan independence party platform.

With the encouragement of new Taiwan independence forces, Tsai Ing-wen argued that the Taiwan independence party platform was the avowed goal of the DPP when it was founded. It was the ideal pursued by that generation of DPP members. “With Taiwan's democratization, we created a deep-seated Taiwan consciousness.  This identification with Taiwan and this persistence on independence and self-rule has become a ‘natural ingredient’ for the younger generation. How can we ‘freeze’ such a state? How can we ‘abolish’ it?” Tsai said. Tsai's statement was significant. Tsai Ing-wen belongs to the middle generation between old Taiwan independence and new Taiwan independence. In the past, her Taiwan independence colors were hidden. Now, however, she has openly declared that Taiwan independence was her generation's ideal. In addition, she admitted that Taiwan consciousness was something "We created." It was the result of DPP promotion. It was hardly a "natural ingredient."

Tsai Ing-wen's refusal to freeze the Taiwan independence party platform shows what Tsai Ing-wen means by "maintaining the status quo". Meanwhile, the “New Power Party,” headed by Sunflower Student Movement leader Huang Kuo-chang, formed a radical fringe on the periphery of the DPP. Recently, it merged with old Taiwan independence elements, and plans to cooperate on matters of organization, resources, and election campaigns. In fact, the announcement of this cooperation was premeditated. In early July, the "New Power Party" declared that just as many of the younger generation already exemplify "natural independence,” the “New Power Party” would list in the party platform "pursuit of the normalization of Taiwan statehood." It would be the DNA of the New Power Party. The New Power Party has made it clear that it would be more radical than the DPP vis-à-vis Taiwan independence. It would promote cross-Strait oversight bill and Constitutional reform. It would repeal the Statue Governing Relations between People across the Strait. It would participate in international activities under the name "Taiwan". It would "establish normal diplomatic relations with [Mainland] China". These five projects would purportedly "complete the normalization of Taiwan statehood". The New Power Party's position is quite clear. Its pro-independence colors are unmistakable. It supports Tsai Ing-wen. It seeks to merge old and new Taiwan independence forces to acquire more power. The old politicians of the TSU (Taiwan Solidarity Union) operate outside the KMT and DPP. The New Power Party, by contrast, will have better mobilization skills, more persuasive rhetoric, and a better public image. Next year, when its candidates are elected to the legislature, it will force the DPP to push harder for Taiwan independence. Its radical ideas would create an important variable in cross-Strait relations next year.

From the long process in which the emerging of the new and old Taiwan independence forces served as a catalyst for the dormant factor of the middle-generation Taiwan Independence elements, allowing it to resurrect and strengthen, this should send a message to pro-Chinese reunification and pro-Mainland forces. According to a 1111 Job Bank survey, 61% of the public wants to "Go West" and work on the Mainland. The younger the respondents, the more they hope to go to the Mainland to work. Others hope to go to the Mainland to study. When this younger generation joins the workforce, it will face a harsh cross-Strait and international reality. This generation has a latent framework and trend of being not anti-[Mainland] China, being pro-[Mainland] China, and being pro-Chinese reunification.

In order for this latent framework and trend to transform into a real-world pro-Chinese reunification and pro-Mainland China forces, and to furthermore expand their influence, we will need other factors. First old pro-Chinese reunification must play a more aggressive role. They include senior experts or scholars, business leaders with extensive social networks, and politicians who share these ideals and values. They must create a hotbed for the cultivation of new pro-Chinese reunification ideology, rhetoric, and social relations.

Even more importantly, the stalwarts of society must safeguard the ROC Constitution. They must strengthen the narrative of the China Factor in the Constitution during debates. Just as the Taiwan independence party platform plays a key role in new Taiwan independence, the ROC Constitution is the bedrock for the development of pro-Chinese reunification and pro-Mainland China forces. It must not be shaken, frozen, or weakened.

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