Oh shit, the KMT wins Taiwan’s Legislature…
The Peking Duck reports and bickers over the recent Taiwanese elections for their Legislative Yuan. The KMT successfully secured an overwhelming majority, dealing a major blow to the DPP. I can already imagine millions of pro-independence Taiwanese and anti-China foreigners shedding a massive tear while the pro-unification supporters and “Taiwan-is-part-of-China” Chinese grinned just a wee bit wider. (As someone who recently visited Taiwan and noticed no major social unrest or turmoil, I must admit that I’m constantly amused by people here in China who are convinced that Taiwan must be a huge mess awaiting big brother China to guide them towards social harmony.)
Of course, the overall issues surrounding this power-shift in the Legislative Yuan aren’t so simplistic nor limited to that single contentious China-Taiwan issue. Much of it is about making sure your side has more heads than the other when the infamous Taiwanese legislature brawls break out. However, we can safely say that, yes, the KMT generally is doing a better job of not pissing off the CCP than the DPP, especially with Chen Shui-Bien at the the helm. I mean, not pissing off China when it is poised to relegate your island into the abyss of irrelenvancy is probably a good idea overall, right?
Now, that isn’t to say Taiwan is anywhere near the point of being irrelevant (China still has a long ways to go and I even reckon generations in social development), but at one point or another, you really do have to start thinking farther into the future and in terms of what will position you most advantageously both economically and politically (especially globally).
I recently had a good chat about this issue with a Hong Kong friend of mine who tends to think the last eight years under Chen Shui-Bian will prove to have been disastrous for Taiwan. I’m not so sure about that view but I am entertaining the notion that “things may have to get worse before they get better.” Let’s say Chen Shui-Bian proves to be the wrong president with the wrong initiatives that woefully and needlessly stunted the potential growth that Taiwan could’ve enjoyed under a less antagonistic-towards-China president. Is it possible that whatever complaints and dissatisfaction many Taiwanese experienced in the past eight years will actually be a catalyst for increasing China-Taiwan integrative relations and ties in the near future? Would the DPP’s mistakes actually propel Taiwan closer to reunification?
Taiwan definitely has the potential to position itself as a leader as part of a greater “Chinese” socio-economic entity…maybe even political. The KMT’s position, (obviously) more so than the DPP, would likely lend more towards bringing Taiwan and China together on these fronts. Of course, that doesn’t mean that’s what the people of Taiwan want but it does seem like it’s their opportunity and game to lose. Too many people view this issue as a question of the now when it really should be a question of the future. What is is not as important as what could be.
Tags: blue, brawls, dpp, economics, election, fights, green, kmt, legislative yuan, legislature, long-term, political parties, politics, reunification, straits