According to the guidelines, unification would be achieved through three stages. In the first stage, there would be increased exchanges between the two sides. In the second stage, there would be direct trade, transport and postal links. And in the third stage, a consultative organization would be formed by the two sides to map out a constitutional arrangement for unification under a “democratic, free and equitably prosperous China.”

For the last eight years, Taiwan was governed by President Chen Shui-bian of the Democratic Progressive Party who, instead of seeing Taiwan as a model for mainland China’s political development, sought de jure independence for Taiwan by minimizing the island’s association with China.

In 2006, Chen precipitated a crisis with both Beijing and Washington when he announced that the council would “cease to function” and the guidelines had “ceased to apply.” It is unclear if Ma will revive the council and its guidelines, though he has been called on to do so by some members of the KMT’s old guard.

President Ma has said since his inauguration that he does not expect to see unification in his lifetime. However, he has also made it clear that he will not press for independence. In fact, in his inaugural address, instead of pushing the position that Taiwan is a sovereign independent country, he said: “In resolving cross-strait issues, what matters is not sovereignty but one’s core values and way of life.”

His message to the mainland could not be clearer. “We care about the welfare of the 1.3 billion people of mainland China,” he said, “and hope that mainland China will continue to move toward freedom, democracy and prosperity for all the people.” Then he added a line fraught with significance: “This would pave the way for the long-term peaceful development of cross-strait relations.”

Even if the National Unification Guidelines are not formally revived, it seems, Ma is following them in his mind.

Columnist Ching can be reached at Frank.ching@gmail.com

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