Beijing, parties in full-fledged war of calculations

While Beijing is openly expressing its welcome for Taiwanese visitors, President Ma Ying-jeou of the ruling Kuomintang (KMT), who is currently traveling overseas, also encouraged DPP figures to go to mainland China.

Wu Po-hsiung, the KMT chairman, is presently in China. Apparently, each side is making its own calculation as to how to make the best use of such a warming tide in cross-strait relations.

For the Chinese Communists, since they are the strongest of the three parties in the triangular relationship, they enjoy a unique advantage in playing the political game of the “united front.” They can be considered old hands in such tactics with a worldwide reputation.

The very fact that Chen, a noted supporter of Taiwan independence, agreed to go to Beijing might be regarded as the initial success of the Communist strategy.

Furthermore, in allowing Chen to call President Ma by his official title right in the face of high-ranking Communist government officials, thus making Chen a “heroine” by some DPP leaders, which was not reported in mainland media, Beijing amply demonstrated its political astuteness. That China may continue to use such double-faced tactics in dealing with the Taiwanese in the future will prove to be a big challenge for the KMT as any seemingly weaker response on its part will discredit its mainland position on the question of Taiwan's sovereignty.

For the KMT people, to warm up cross-strait ties is their long-standing policy, which they believe will benefit Taiwan, economically in particular, without sacrificing the sovereignty of the island under the principle of “one China with different interpretations.” In the long term, the accelerated exchanges will help China move faster on its way to become opener and freer.

As to the DPP, although its party line opposes closer relationship with mainland China, the economic relations, tourism and other attractions are so overwhelming that it is hard for its leaders to ignore.

In addition, the latest opinion polls unmistakably indicate that the majority of the voters in Taiwan favor more liberal policies toward China as implemented by the KMT under the leadership of Ma.

Therefore, the major opposition party has no choice but to try to adjust its attitude toward Beijing if it wants to survive in elections.

Now, it is clear that a full-fledged war of calculations is going on, involving the confrontation between Beijing's “united front” ploy and the reactions of the KMT and the DPP in their counter moves. What worries many is that as the current situation stands, it is very difficult for the DPP to achieve intra-party unity on numerous issues, let alone to cooperate with a political foe.

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