Rely on Strong Self-Defense, Not US

Commentary

Rely on Strong Self-Defense, Not US

Source: China Times

Chao Chun-shan

(China Studies Professor, Tamkang University)

May 5, 2010

The debate between President Ma Ying-jeou and DPP Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen on the proposed cross-Strait Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) was concluded on April 25, but informal follow-up debates between the two leaders on the proper course of national development have not ended.

Remarks President Ma made in an interview with CNN have drawn strong criticism from the opposition DPP. President Ma stated that Taiwan “will never ask Americans to fight for Taiwan.” DPP Chairperson Tsai said sarcastically that she hoped Ma’s remarks did not mean that Taiwan would “compromise with [Mainland] China.” In other words, Tsai regarded the Ma administration’s strategy as “parting with the US and cozying up with [Mainland] China,” which she derided as going against Taiwan’s best interests.

It is this writer’s belief that the key reason the ruling and opposition party are arguing about the nation’s best interests is that they have different views on what role Mainland China plays in international relations. Consequently, the two parties have entirely different views as to what strategies Taiwan should adopt in engaging the international community. 

As is known to all, in the post-Cold War era, “peace and development” are global trends. As a result, the core security interests of countries have expanded from only the traditional military sphere, to non-traditional areas, such as political, economic, cultural, and even psychological fronts. Mainland China’s “peaceful rise” is a result of following these trends. Even after Mainland China’s comprehensive national power increased dramatically, Beijing continues to employ a strategy of “hiding one’s capacities and biding one’s time”, as a Chinese saying goes. Beijing does not want to rock the current international balance of power because Beijing knows that currently, in terms of both “spiritual civilization” and “material civilization,” the Mainland is still lagging behind developed countries. Consequently, even those Mainland strategists who are traditionally categorized as hawks have to admit that Mainland China has no choice but to avoid confronting the US, for such a confrontation would hinder the progress of Mainland China’s modernization.

Taiwan’s neighboring countries, such as Japan and Korea, have adjusted their bilateral relations with the Mainland China in accordance with the global trend of peaceful development. Most importantly, neither Japan nor Korea worry that improving relations with the Mainland would cost them the alliance with the US.

On the contrary, in the eight years, from 2000 to 2008, under DPP’s rule, Taiwan became a “trouble-maker” for the US. Moreover, the then ruling DPP’s “de-Sinicization” policy caused the Mainland to issue more serious “verbal attacks and military threats” to rein in Taiwan. Hence, the cross-Strait relations were tense throughout DPP’s rule. Political science professor Samuel Huntington said, “National interest derives from national identity.” The Chen Shui-bian administration had constantly played tricks to cause communal conflicts, so Taiwan had never built up a consensus on crucial issues of national interests. Based on the Chen administration’s failure, the current DPP leaders have tried to adjust their Mainland policy. Unfortunately, the DPP’s “platform for the next decade” still does not do away with the Chen administration’s Cold-War thinking. Tsai Ing-wen claimed that the DPP would not rule out the possibility of holding a direct and substantive dialogue with Mainland China. However, as the DPP merely seems to be trying to deceive or outwit the Mainland, how could a direct and substantive dialogue between the DPP and the Mainland benefit the best interests of the people of Taiwan?

Facing ever-evolving international relations, the Ma administration hopes to determine the best position for Taiwan in the international arena. The Ma administration stressed the importance of conciliation with the Mainland because only in a peaceful environment can the two sides of the Strait cooperate in development. President Ma stated that Taiwan “would never ask Americans to fight for Taiwan” because ultimately the fate of our country is in our own hands. Therefore, Taiwan not only has to show strong determination to defend itself, but also has to promise countries friendly to Taiwan that Taiwan will not involve them in a confrontation with the Mainland which could be prevented in advance or which was caused by policy errors. Furthermore, if Taiwan does not make any trouble, and instead plays a role as a peacekeeper, I believe that the US will supply us with necessary support and assistance if a third party attacks Taiwan unprovoked.

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