Taiwan Is Fine on Its Own

Taiwan’s economy has sputtered, and investors have stayed away because of its troublesome, unresolved relationship with China. Beijing half- expected the failing economy to push Taiwan toward reunification on China’s terms but got the opposite with last weekend’s parliamentary victory by the Democratic Progressive Party of President Chen Shui-bian. Chen’s party’s clear majority over the Nationalist Party, whose authoritarian rule dominated Taiwan for decades, is a victory for democracy and more. Would-be meddlers in the United States should support continuation of a low-profile policy toward Taiwan to avoid disturbing the island’s delicate equilibrium with the mainland.

Chen, who entered office in March 2000 as a fiery supporter of independence, quickly muted his rhetoric. Under his leadership, Taiwan has moved toward de facto independence, but it has also sought to increase economic and political ties with Beijing. The Taiwan Strait, which seemed a likely spot for a war a year ago, is rapidly becoming more peaceful.

Since the elections, Chen has stated that he intends no radical new policies and that he continues to support direct talks with the Chinese leadership. China has refused to meet with Chen because he correctly will not accept the “one- China” principle as the basis of negotiations. If Taiwan were to accept the one-China idea, there would be little left to negotiate over.

The election result suggests that China’s attempts to bully Taiwan are failing. Not only did Chen’s party do well, but his predecessor, Lee Teng-hui, has established a new political party that earned 13 seats in the legislature. The Nationalist Party, which campaigned as the party of reunification, saw its seats plummet from 123 to 67.

The American anti-China lobby is seizing on the election results to try to push Washington into making an overt economic and military show of support for Taiwan. That would be a mistake.

Beijing would only be inflamed and forced into a corner by an overt American display of such support. China is already being pressured internally to reassess its Taiwan policy, and economic links are inexorably drawing the two together.

This is no time for the United States to rock the boat. It is Beijing, after all, that has to fear the example of Taiwanese democracy.