Clearly went to a state school...

During my time in China I was frequently asked about the status of Taiwan. It's a raw nerve to many Chinese people and I can understand why: the Communist Party has based a large part of its legitimacy on a promise to eventually reunify the two China's and finally bring the civil war, now in its seventh decade, to a close. About a week ago the House of Representatives passed a resolution marking the 30th year of the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA.) In this act the United States promises to help Taiwan defend itself against Mainland aggression by selling defensive weapons and nebulously promising to come to the aid of the island. The US recently made good on this promise by selling Taiwan $6.5 billion worth of technologically advanced weaponry. The Chinese, predictably, decried this as a violation of their sovereignty and lower level ties between the two great powers are just now approaching pre-weapons sales levels of connectivity.

The House of Representatives' recent action is a pointed reminder to the other branches of government and to Mainland China itself that at least one major organ of the government considers Taiwan's status as an Asian democracy inviolable. This moment of support for a belagoured Democracy, where people have virtually the same rights as an American citizen, should be viewed in the same way as every other action of the House: an attempt to assert their independence from the other branches of government and to look good for their reelection campaigns next year (no one loses votes for supporting a foreign democracy). However, many in China can't possibly see this ceremonial measure as anything but the rattling of a bloody saber.

Dr. Jian Junbo of Fudan University in Shanghai (a very prestigious institution for those not in the know) accuses the House of attempting to ensure instability in the straight, interfering with the government of China, and, most puzzlingly, interfering with the government of Taiwan.
This article is so filled with jargon level propagandist platitudes I hardly know where to begin!

A large part of Dr. Junbo's arguments are predicated upon the House of Representatives being a coordinated, corrupt, and unified body bent on extending American domination into the Chinese world.

"The House's adoption of the TRA resolution is a blatant signal that the US is dissatisfied with warming China-Taiwan ties."

If only we were that organized!!! Dr. Junbo's assessment of American government can't help but be affected by the functioning of the Chinese government whose Central Committee members are not elected by the people they govern and exist to rubber stamp the decisions of the more senior government institutions. Unfortunately, the American House is an uncoordinated mishmash of personalities that managed to talk their way into government for two years. To accuse them of conspiring to extend American domination into Chinese territory is like accusing a group of chimps of coordinated poo throwing campaigns against the neighboring tiger cages.

He goes on to comment:

"If we link this resolution to the recent Pentagon report on Chinese military power - which stated that the PRC is militarily superior to Taiwan - maybe it's easy to conclude that the US wants to see some instability on the Taiwan Strait."

Let's put some emphasis on maybe! Why should we link those? Simply because two disparate parts of the American government say something in the same month about related topics does not a conspiracy make! The dates are even complete coincidences- the Dept. of Defense publishes a report like this every year and this happens to be the 30th anniversary of the TRA.

The good professor wrote this, not in response to any real information, but because of a knee jerk response built into Chinese PhD's to view foreigner's discussions of Chinese issues as an automatic violation of Chinese sovereignty. I'm unsure how someone could view the H.ofR. voicing support for Taiwan as unfair to the Taiwanese but Junbo has no qualms:

"...the US's commemoration of the act is not constructive for cross-strait peace and stability. It could provoke internal confrontation between the KMT and the DPP, and undermine the growing trust between Beijing and Taipei."

and

"The resolution may also pressure Taiwan's ruling party to take more radical steps to seek "greater international space", regardless of Beijing's stance."

Apparently reminding Taiwan that it has friends is a violation of its sovereignty and may propel the weak minded citizens into internal conflict. Even the very voicing of concern may somehow force the KMT to seek "greater international space!" Junbo seems concerned that the average Taiwanese is so fickle and so easily distracted that a few ceremonial words from part of the American government will push the island into civil war. Sorry professor, the CCP has attempted to make its own masses that easily manipulated but its long term success in China is dubious and it never had a chance in free Taiwan.

Although this last part isn't a major issue in the article it bares pointing out:

"China has been trying to promote strait relations by winning the "hearts and minds" of Taiwanese people-"

What is he talking about? Was bracketing the island with missiles during election season an attempt win hearts and minds? Is forcing dozens of African countries to not even have relations with Taiwan an attempt to win hearts and minds? Is blocking Taiwan's attempts at free trade agreements with other countries meant to make them come happily back to the fold? Is threatening annihilation if they declare independence part of the charm offensive? Was refusing to allow third parties to offer aid to Taiwan after the 1999 Jiji earthquake because they didn't ask Beijing's permission first a bouquet of diplomatic flowers?

*Breathe*

In the end the status of Taiwan is a matter for the people of Taiwan to decide. So long as the resolution is handled peacefully the United States will accept it. However, giving Taiwan respect and the weapons to defend itself makes it a more confident bargaining partner and assures the people that their future is in their own hands. If Taiwan is ever to rejoin China in some form, it will be best accomplished by a confident and self assured Taiwan which makes its own decisions. But, alas, the PRC doesn't have or even understand democracy so neither can it understand the willpower of the free Taiwanese people.