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Tsai Ing-wen
Opinion

Sooner or later, Tsai must face up to Taiwan’s political and economic realities

Zheng Yongnian says the president-elect will have to adjust her pro-independence stance after taking office, given that China is strong enough to stop any moves in that direction

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Zheng Yongnian
The only way forward is to find a direction that is most beneficial for Taiwan as it moves towards unification. Seeking independence would only lead to a dead end.
The only way forward is to find a direction that is most beneficial for Taiwan as it moves towards unification. Seeking independence would only lead to a dead end.
The impact of Tsai Ing-wen’s election as Taiwan’s president will, of course, be profound. Tsai was actually in charge of cross-strait affairs in both the Lee Teng-hui and Chen Shui-bian administrations. She was the creator of the “one country on each side” concept when Lee was leader of Taiwan. Ideologically, Tsai is even more inclined towards independence than Chen; her ideology is probably closer to Lee’s. However, she will need to adjust her pro-independence stance after coming to power, even though she might be reluctant to do so.

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Tsai has been trying every possible way to dishonour the “1992 consensus” [an understanding that there is only “one China”, but each side can have its own interpretation], saying that it is only one option. In fact, Taiwan has no options. Mainland China has already grown very strong; strong enough to stop Taiwan gaining independence. When Ma Ying-jeou and Xi Jinping (習近平) met in Singapore recently, they both took the “1992 consensus” as the bottom line, which mainland China considers to be the line that Taiwan cannot cross.

Tourists gather to watch the changing of the guard at the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall in Taipei. If Tsai were to seek independence for Taiwan, it would only lead to a dead end. Photo: EPA
Tourists gather to watch the changing of the guard at the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall in Taipei. If Tsai were to seek independence for Taiwan, it would only lead to a dead end. Photo: EPA
So the path ahead for Tsai as the island’s president will be very rough; she is pro-independence, ideologically but this will not be an option, practically. The only way forward is to find a direction that is most beneficial for Taiwan as it moves towards unification. Seeking independence would only lead to a dead end. So let’s see how Tsai adjusts her path.
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