Mainland China urged to be ‘realistic’ and open communications with Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party
- Douglas Paal, who once headed the de facto US embassy in Taipei, warned that Beijing’s refusal to talk to the independence-leaning party is counterproductive
- The DPP’s presidential candidate William Lai is the current front runner but has been subject to repeated attacks from Beijing accusing him of being a ‘separatist’
“China cut off communication channels with the DPP when Tsai Ing-wen was elected [as president in 2016] … I think that was an unrealistic stance. I wish China would moderate that stance and be willing to open channels, informal or formal,” said Douglas Paal, the head of the American Institute in Taiwan – the de facto US embassy – between 2002 to 2006.
03:24
Taiwan’s presidential front runner Lai Ching-te picks de facto envoy to US as running mate
“I think it has been counterproductive to everybody’s interest to have cut those channels off the last seven years,” Paal, now an analyst with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace think tank, told a digital seminar hosted by the Centre for Globalisation Hong Kong on Tuesday.
Paal said Hsiao, who helped develop closer ties with Washington before stepping down to stand in the election, would offer strong support to Lai’s campaign.
“She knows the US very well and she communicates with the US extremely well,” he said, but added it was another question whether that would help sway voters.
Beijing has repeatedly accused Tsai of being a “Taiwan separatist” and cut off communications after she refused to accept the 1992 consensus – an unofficial understanding that there is only one China but the two sides may disagree about what that means.
On Monday, mainland state media renewed the attacks, with China Media Group describing them as a “most dangerous pair” who would push Taiwan into the “abyss of disaster”.
“Taiwan’s independence means war,” said the commentary, adding that “the pro-independence duo of Lai and Hsiao will exacerbate cross-strait tensions and further push Taiwan into a dangerous, near-war situation, burying the peace and stability and lives of the island’s 23 million people”.
China Media Group, also known as Voice of China, is a state-run media company that manages broadcasters such as China Central Television, China National Radio and China Radio International.
04:00
PLA will show ‘no mercy’ against Taiwan independence moves, top Chinese general says
The commentary was jointly published by an affiliated WeChat account Kantaihai, which publishes Taiwan news, and Cross-Strait Radio, which broadcasts to Taiwan.
The article went on to say that “Lai and Hsiao are working in tandem to do great harm to Taiwan, and the cost will have to be paid by the island’s people” and warned that the DPP was “obstructing the unification of the motherland, jeopardising Taiwan’s future and destiny, and harming the interests of the Taiwanese people.”
Most countries, including the US, do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state, but many are opposed to change of status quo by force. Washington is also legally bound to help the island defend itself, and in recent years has kept up a steady supply of arms and close contacts with the Taipei authorities.
