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Updated Thursday, June 19, 2008 0:00 am TWN, By Dr. William Fang, Special to The China Post

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Formality is not so important in Taiwan-China relations

Answering the question, “What will you call each other if Chen Yunlin, chairman of the Beijing-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), visits Taiwan later this year as expected?” President Ma Ying-jeou replied clearly on June 17: “I will call him Mr. Chen, and he will call me Mr. Ma. I think this is the best arrangement. As long as there is mutual parity, there is no question of belittling.”

Chiu Cheyne, former secretary-general of the Taipei-based Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), said how Ma and Chen will call each other is not important, but what is significant is whether Chen’s visit can solve concrete cross-strait problems. This question of “how cross-strait leaders call each other” arose when Wu Po-hsiung, chairman of the ruling Kuomintang (KMT), reportedly called President Ma “Mr. Ma” while visiting mainland China earlier, prompting charges by the opposition that this moved belittled the status of President Ma and damaged the national dignity of Taiwan.

Indeed, that the Taiwan people feel hurt about their president being not called as such should be understood. But, is mainland China the only place where Taiwan suffers such humiliation? No. In almost all countries in the world, except a score of small and insignificant nations, the Republic of China (ROC) or Taiwan, is not formally recognized as a sovereign state. In fact, in all information materials published by the United Nations, Taiwan is a “non-state.” So what? Is this the end of the world for the Taiwanese? Local people actually don’t feel much difference as long as they can enjoy “de facto” sovereignty. Nor do they keep crying over the fact they are not accorded “parity” by the world community.

Under the so-called “1992 consensus,” both sides of the Taiwan Straits agree to adopt a policy of “non-recognition to each other as a sovereign state,” thus enabling them to “put aside disputes and create a win-win situation” through promotion of cross-strait exchanges. This is parity. In cross-strait dealings, President Ma is called “Mr. Ma” because he has no important unofficial titles. Chairman Hu Jintao is so called because he also holds the chairmanship of the Chinese Communist Party. All people in Taiwan should have a realistic view of its status in the international community, which largely reflects its strength. But they shouldn’t feel too frustrated because they still enjoy de facto sovereignty. Their international position will definitely be upgraded if they can augment their overall strength.

There is really no practical need to make a fuss about mere formalities in cross-strait dealings such as how to call each other. The act of this kind will only undermine the seemingly friendly climate between Taipei and Beijing with the result of stalling further smooth cross-strait relations, which will be detrimental more to Taiwan’s interests than it is to mainland China’s. It is, therefore, earnestly hoped that the Ma administration will stand firm and retort forcefully to any silly “how to call each other” controversy provoked by the opposition.

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