Word: liens
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...only a small exaggeration to say that all of Taiwan was eyeing China last week, as a historic opportunity for better cross-strait relations played out. Lien Chan, chairman of the Kuomintang (KMT), the party that's been a longtime enemy of China's Communists, touched down on the mainland for a weeklong "Journey of Peace" that ultimately brought him to the Great Hall of the People in Beijing for a much anticipated handshake with President Hu Jintao. Lien, who unsuccessfully ran twice for Taiwan's presidency, hadn't been on the mainland since he left with his family...
...Lien's handshake was beamed across the world, but talk of "closure" or an end to the tension in the Taiwan Strait was irrationally exuberant. From the Taiwan side, in fact, the event largely highlighted the deep political divisions on the island?and Beijing's adroit efforts to exploit them. Lien was received like a visiting head of state, which he isn't. Taiwan's President is Chen Shui-bian, and he and his supporters want to stand up to China, not cozy up. Chen actually endorsed Lien's trip at the last minute. But the phoniness of that rapprochement...
...Lien wasn't forced to give way on any touchy diplomatic issues: when it was in government in 1992, the KMT and Beijing came to a "consensus" that there was only one China?but agreed that each side could have a different interpretation of what that entails. That was a high point in cross-strait relations. When Chen's Democratic Progressive Party took over power in 2000, that consensus had already crumbled, and Chen refuses to adopt the formula. As a consequence, Beijing won't deal with...
...China, visits from Lien and Soong are no-losers: it gives away nothing but a few rounds of toasts and, in return, gets top Taiwan politicians to come and affirm the goal of eventual unification. Beijing also managed to appear graceful toward its so-called renegade province just six weeks after the passage of an antisecession law that commits it to war if Taiwan declares independence. (Washington was a booster of the Lien visit, but also urged Beijing to "reach out" to President Chen...
...while playing host to Lien and Soong, Hu undoubtedly kept an eye on CNN and the BBC to see the kind of ruckus the visits are creating for Chen and the KMT at home. "Taiwan has always been divided over the issue of how to deal with China," says Joseph Wu, chairman of the Mainland Affairs Council, Taiwan's top policymaking body on mainland issues. "China knows this. In [inviting Lien to China], it creates internal problems." Professor Lee Si-kuen, a professor of political science at National Taiwan University (and a KMT member), calls Lien's trip "the wrong...