July 28, 2009
Reunification Watch: Hu & Ma in Direct Communications
Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou was reelected Chairman of the Kuomintang party and in congratulations Chinese President Hu Jintao sent a message directly to Ma and Ma responded in kind. Both emphasized working on peace and prosperity on both sides of the Taiwan Straits.....
Labels: hu jintao, ma ying-jeou, reunification, taiwan
December 15, 2008
Taiwan Reunification Watch - Now Direct Daily Flights
Beijing and Taipei today announced new direct daily flights, shipping routes, and postal links as the 60 year old tension in the Taiwan Straits subsides (source: Reuters).
This situation is similar to Hong Kong after the handover agreement in 1984 when trade ties were growing strongly but exploded shortly afterwards. For example, the China-Hong Kong reexport trade grew from $7 billion (US dollars) in '83 to near $24 billion by just 1987. Today China is Hong Kong's leading supplier and export market.
According to the Reuters link above the value of China-Taiwan trade in 2007 was $90 billion. We can expect this number to swell significantly in the years ahead. Taiwan manufacturers have been relocating production to the mainland for years now and this process will only accelerate with direct links. What we are witnessing is the peaceful process of economic absorption. When (or if) there is ever a political reconciliation between the two rival political parties of the Chinese Republic, it will be an anti-climax just as it was in Hong Kong in 1997.
Seen in the context of the China-Korea-Japan summit this past weekend, it appears that East Asia is coalescing around China.
This situation is similar to Hong Kong after the handover agreement in 1984 when trade ties were growing strongly but exploded shortly afterwards. For example, the China-Hong Kong reexport trade grew from $7 billion (US dollars) in '83 to near $24 billion by just 1987. Today China is Hong Kong's leading supplier and export market.
According to the Reuters link above the value of China-Taiwan trade in 2007 was $90 billion. We can expect this number to swell significantly in the years ahead. Taiwan manufacturers have been relocating production to the mainland for years now and this process will only accelerate with direct links. What we are witnessing is the peaceful process of economic absorption. When (or if) there is ever a political reconciliation between the two rival political parties of the Chinese Republic, it will be an anti-climax just as it was in Hong Kong in 1997.
Seen in the context of the China-Korea-Japan summit this past weekend, it appears that East Asia is coalescing around China.
Labels: global security, ma ying-jeou, reunification, taiwan
May 22, 2008
Blood is Thicker Than Water
Taiwan Reunification Watch: The head of the Taiwan work group on the Chinese Communist Party central committee, Mr. Chen Yunlin, said in Beijing today that "blood is thicker than water" and China and Taiwan were moving toward a consistent dialogue on expanding relations.
Only days after Ma Ying-jeou was inaugurated last Saturday, it is announced that Kuomintang (KMT) party Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung will arrive in Beijing to meet with President Hu Jintao.
Meanwhile the invasion of Chinese from the mainland may begin as early as July 4 when eight Taiwan airports will be opened for direct flights from China ending over 50 years of cross Straits air tension!
Labels: beijing, china, communist china, ma ying-jeou, reunification, taiwan
April 02, 2008
Taiwan Reunification Watch
According to Radio Australia yesterday and a Financial Times story today, Beijing is reaching out quickly to Taiwan. In Laos for the Greater Mekong Subregion summit (see my report in this week's episode of The Sinomania! Show), Wen said Beijing is ready to reach out to new Taiwan president Ma Ying-jeou and the door is open to resume the talks begun in 1992 in Singapore with the sovereignty issue on an agree to disagree posture. The talks could lead to a peace treaty. Wen also mentioned establising direct links which Ma already favors.
Labels: china, ma ying-jeou, reunification, taiwan
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