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Beijing's two most important interests are its steady economic development and its reunification with Taiwan. However, the "one China" policy is not necessarily helpful for bringing about the unification of China. Instead, it is likely to push Taiwan to declare independence in a bid for sympathy and acknowledgement from the international society. If a war is fought over this issue, large or small, it will seriously affect China's rapid pace of economic development, and most likely reverse its forward trend.
In Taiwan today, many people are no longer willing to call themselves "Chinese." Instead, they call themselves "Taiwanese." The "one China" policy is one among all the internal and external factors that have caused this. International society cannot fully agree with and approve of Beijing's standpoint, but it has to acknowledge it for a host of political and economic reasons. Gradually the world has come to think of China only as the "People's Republic of China." However, the people in Taiwan cannot identify themselves as citizens of the People's Republic of China. They don't want foreigners to mislabel them as such, largely due to China's communist government and lack of democracy. Therefore, when asked their nationality they reply "Taiwanese."
Under such circumstances, Lee Teng-hui, the former president of the Republic of China, initiated a campaign to make his country "normal" by changing its name to Taiwan. The idea is gaining wider approval and support among the people in Taiwan, including the ruling Democratic Progressive Party. The DPP's "Taiwan independence" policy has been acknowledged by more and more Taiwanese as the only solution to its identity problem. This has caused Beijing to strengthen its vigilance and opposition to Taiwan's independence, which has resulted in growing tensions in cross-straits relations. The two sides are now gradually drifting toward war.
But now let us make a bold supposition: What if Beijing were willing to admit that ideological differences had caused a civil war between the Chinese Communist Party and the Kuomintang, and the two sides of the Taiwan Straits were temporarily divided into two Chinas? For half a century there has been no armed conflict between the two, and over time closer cultural, economic and social exchanges have evolved.
If both sides were willing to accept the concept of one race -- the Chinese race -- but two Chinas, neither side would abandon the hope of future unification. Both would work for the peaceful resolution of any conflict, in a matter similar to that employed by Germany in its process of reunification. Both sides could join the United Nations, and meaningless diplomatic battles would be put behind them. There would be no need for armed confrontation either. The two sides could fully communicate with each other, seeking a natural way for peaceful reunification, which is a win-win strategy for both sides.
A "two Chinas" policy could ensure the peaceful unification of China in the future. Conversely, the current "one China" policy may force Taiwan to declare independence, resulting in war and possibly permanent separation. After all, the idea of one China is against the facts of history. It is a diplomatic deceit, and has brought the cross-straights situation to the point of life and death. It is high time for Beijing, Washington, Tokyo and other world players to reconsider and reflect upon their policy toward China and Taiwan respectively.
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(Dr. Chang Chuan-fong is Asia Director of the International Educational Foundation, based in Macau, China, and former associate professor in the Department of Education at Minghsin University of Science and Technology, Taiwan. @Copyright Chang Chuan-fong.)
