Twin cities mend fences to strengthen cross-Straits ties

While the US ratchets up its anti-China rhetoric to embolden the separatists on Taiwan Island, the Chinese mainland is slowly trying to improve ties across the Straits. And it was making good progress until the Americans stepped in to upset the apple cart.

Since 2010, the mayors of Shanghai and Taipei have had annual meetings to discuss bilateral cooperation. Trade flourished and was valued at more than $312 billion in 2021 at a growth rate of 30 percent. Integrated circuits are the main export items to the mainland to fill the shortfall of chips banned for export from the United States. And pre-COVID-19, Taiwan enjoyed some 3 million tourists from the mainland per year.

Such is the hope for peaceful reunification that China has planned a high-speed rail service between Beijing and Taipei. The tunnel under the Taiwan Straits for the rail service was slated for completion in 2035, according to the announced plan. 

As part of the link, a 16-kilometer-long bridge connecting the mainland and Pingtan, a small island in the Taiwan Straits, was already completed in December 2020. But the proposed link, which would bring great economic benefits to Taiwan, is unlikely to  proceed before the two sides are reunified.

While the US believes its American democracy is the only democratic system worthy of supporting and promoting, it fails to understand what works for one country may not be suitable for another because of different countries’ distinctive historical and cultural differences. What is good for the goose may not be good for the gander

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Last year, the Shanghai-Taipei City Forum was held virtually due to COVID-19 restrictions. But that didn’t stop it from being seen in a positive light.

“The two sides of the Taiwan Straits belong to one family. Shanghai will, as always, care and support the development of Taiwan compatriots and Taiwan enterprises in Shanghai,” said Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng. To which Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je responded: “The experience of the forum showed the right way to go: Communication is better than disconnection, and friendliness is better than hatred.”

That was last year. This year it was a different, much-cooler atmosphere, thanks to Washington’s intervention. The US’ adoption of the one-China principle prohibits US President Joe Biden from a visit to Taiwan, but that has failed to prevent US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi from doing the dirty work for the US administration.

As the forum opened on July 19, the US was testing the waters for a visit to Taiwan by Pelosi. And it drew the reaction it expected. China was against it and warned of severe consequences if the visit took place. The forum was cut back to a half-day session.

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However, the episode did not stop the two mayors from repeating their previous commitments. Mayor Ko, in a pre-recorded speech, stressed the need for mutual respect and cooperation, adding that the war in Ukraine had sparked much reflection over the cross-Straits relationship. Dialogue, he said, was better than confrontation, and that avoiding conflict was the hope of people on both sides of the Straits.

Under the US puppet administration of Tsai Ing-wen, the Democratic Progressive Party is seeking independence with unofficial backing from the US. But local support is far from unanimous, as about 33 percent of the population is either pro-unification or prefers maintaining the status quo. The opposition party, the Kuomintang, has adopted an ambiguous stance in recent years.

Since the Pelosi visit to Taiwan in August, there has been a steady stream of US politicians visiting the island, who apparently attempted to cheer on the separatists on the island and boost the ego of Tsai. To derail China’s development, Washington has repeatedly played its “Taiwan card”. History has shown the US cares naught for the collateral damage that may result from its disruptive politics. 

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Beijing hopes to apply the “one country, two systems” model to the Taiwan question, ensuring a high degree of autonomy for the island, as it has for Hong Kong and Macao. And while the US believes its American democracy is the only democratic system worthy of supporting and promoting, it fails to understand what works for one country may not be suitable for another because of different countries’ distinctive historical and cultural differences. What is good for the goose may not be good for the gander.


The author is a former chief information officer of the Hong Kong government, a PR and media consultant, and a veteran journalist.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.