Nowadays, it really is difficult to predict what Taipei and Beijing’s moves are with regards to improving (or making a stale mate of) their cross-strait relations. At first, with the election of Ma Ying-jeou as President or Governor of Taiwan (however you see it), it seems that there is no where to go but up.
But certain issues keep cropping up; and well, sometimes the public is just left confused. Here are some key events to be noted:
1. Deaflympics Taipei 2009
The opening ceremony is on September 5, 2009. And it appears that the Mainland team is set on not showing up. The Chinese team would be arriving 9.40pm Saturday, and the opening ceremony is to officially open by 7.30pm.
But of course this is just pure speculation as the 80-member Thousand-hand Bodhisattva Dance Performance Group from China will still be performing during the ceremonies. “This displays Beijing’s considerable goodwill, and thus, in a certain way, the Chinese mainland will be participating in the opening ceremony!” Emile Sheng of the Taipei Deaflympics Organizing Committee said.
2. World Games Kaohsiung 2009
The 100-Chinese delegation boycotted the opening ceremony last July 2009 though it was said that many of the Chinese athletes were in Kaohsiung already during the registration period.
According to ruling Kuomintang Legislator Wu Yu-sheng, “The two sides [Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee and Chinese authorities] discussed the issue frankly and sincerely before reaching that decision.”
“It’s a wise, goodwill decision that will contribute to harmony and the development of relations between our two sides,”
Umm…right.
3. Dalai Lama’s 6-day visit
The Dalai Lama visited Taiwan to console with the people victimized by Typhoon Morakot last August. This event particularly is a sensitive decision made by Ma Ying-jeou who heads a people who are majority Buddhists.
“No matter under what form or identity Dalai uses to enter Taiwan, we resolutely oppose this,” the Taiwan Affairs Bureau of China said.
It can be remembered from last year November that “China has postponed an annual summit meeting with the European Union originally scheduled…to register its disapproval that several European leaders will meet the Dalai Lama.”
Well, personally, I think a disaster such as these should bring the PRC and ROC closer together. It is quite sad really that the Dalai Lama’s image as a spiritual leader and political figure can not be separated any longer.
Amongst all these happenings, it helps to remember that positive cross-strait relations feed are being pushed. One such example is that regular direct flights between Mainland and Taiwan were launched just recently which ends Taipei’s six-decade ban on air links with the Mainland imposed due to the 1949 Chinese Civil War.
What are your views about this?
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Taiwan and China agree to set up tourism offices in each other’s capitals (Taipei and Beijing) by early 2010, as Taiwan aims to increase mainland tourists.
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A recent survey showed that 64.6% of respondents in Taiwan identified themselves as Taiwanese, 11.5% Chinese, while 18.1% both Taiwanese and Chinese. So what?
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Deaflympics? Really? That was the best name they could come up with?
LoL!
This is yet another sad tale about the cross-strait relations…
There is no doubt about the political motive behind Koahsiung mayor’s invitation of the Dalai Lama to Taiwan. But you can’t deny the fact that there are many Tibetan Buddhists in the island. They have the right to meet up with their spiritual leader.
People who opposed Dalai’s visit pointed out that Taiwan already had many spiritual leaders, such as Foguangshan’s Hsing Yun, Tzu Chi’s Cheng Yen, and the Catholic cardinal. This is a lame excuse. You need to understand that among the followers of the Dalai Lama, nobody can replace him.
Those who opposed Dalai’s visit further pointed out that majority of the typhoon victims were catholics, so inviting a lama is inappropriate. This excuse also cannot be accepted.
Remember the Sep 11 terrorist attack on the US? I suppose majority of the victims were Christians. Yet when the White House held memorial service, leaders of other faiths had also been invited.
Let Beijing make noise. A few weeks later everything will be back to normal.
In my opinion, Ma Ying-jeou really is in a difficult position.