It's now easier to deal with China
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The vigorous handshake lasting more than a minute marked the historic first meeting between the leader of the People's Republic of China and the leader of Taiwan, which has been the home of the government of the Republic of China since its defeat by the C
“Blood is thicker than water,” declared Xi Jinping, the mainland leader, using a Western proverb that has become absorbed into the Chinese vocabulary, especially in describing relations between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.
“We are all descendants of the Chinese people,” declared Ma Ying-jeou, the Taiwan leader. “We should cooperate together and rejuvenate the Chinese nation.”
The mutual emphasis on Chinese-ness is understandable. After all, that is what they have in common, despite political separation over the last 66 years. Their people, by and large, share Chinese ethnicity and culture, setting politics aside.
But politics cannot be set aside. Beijing insists that there can only be “one China”, namely, the People’s Republic of China. But Taiwan cannot agree that the Republic of China doesn’t exist and so it insists on “separate interpretations” of what “one China” means.
Ma, who has to uphold the dignity of his office, explained that his government doesn’t use expressions like “two Chinas” or “one China, one Taiwan” or “Taiwan independence”, because “the Constitution of the Republic of China does not allow that”.
True to form, Xi avoided the media and it was Zhang Zhijun, head of the Taiwan Affairs Office, who met the press. Zhang allowed three questions, one of which was from a Taiwan newspaper. Many journalists were upset, with one reportedly yelling: “I’ve never seen a press conference as unfree as this!”
The Taiwan side’s press conference was held by Ma himself, who answered well over a dozen questions posed by reporters from the mainland, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan and the United States.
In the press conference, Ma told the media that he had used the words “Republic of China” in his meeting with Xi, despite frequent criticism that he was reluctant to speak up.
“I had to stand firm by the position that the president of the Republic of China should adopt,” he said.
Ironically, Ma was telling Xi that the Republic of China, which the People’s Republic of China does not recognise, was his ally in opposing Taiwan independence.
Ma called for the strengthening of the “1992 Consensus” under which both sides agree there is only one China but differ as to what that actually means.
In addition, he called on the mainland for a reduction of its missiles targeting Taiwan, the setting up of a hotline and more international space for Taiwan.
