Straits Forum Dialogue More Critical When Taiwan-China Relations Worsen: Analyst
Civilian representatives from Taiwan and China are meeting for the annual Straits Forum, held this year in Xiamen in China. The week-long exchange is considered the largest platform for civilian dialogue between the two sides. TaiwanPlus speaks to diplomacy expert Huang Kwei-bo to learn more about what could come out of this year's forum.
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00:00This is the 16th Straits Forum.
00:02And so how has the purpose of this annual platform changed, especially in light of mounting
00:08Chinese pressure on Taiwan?
00:11In the nature of it, it is one of the United Front strategies employed by the Chinese communists.
00:20But I think, you know, we cannot say because the mainland Chinese authorities are using
00:27United Front strategies on Taiwan, so we do not engage with mainland Chinese communities.
00:35When cross-strait official relations are worsening, it's even more important for the two societies
00:43between the two sides of the strait to be able to understand each other, to be able
00:48to speak to each other, because without better people-to-people exchanges, then I think there
00:56will be no hope for the betterment of cross-strait relations.
01:01Has Beijing's growing military intimidation of Taiwan impacted the willingness of people
01:06here to, say, attend the Straits Forum or engage with China?
01:11Of course.
01:12You know, when we are seeing this downside of cross-strait relations, some people in
01:19Taiwan or in the mainland would feel a little more worried about their going to the other
01:26side because the general atmosphere is not good.
01:31They may not want to visit Taiwan or visit the mainland, for example, this year, and
01:39they are going to wait and see.
01:41When the general atmosphere between the two sides becomes better, then they probably consider
01:46going to the other side for either sightseeing, doing business, or visiting family members,
01:53or studying.
01:54And what do you think Taiwanese people can do in the face of this growing threat from
01:58China?
01:59Taiwan needs to be more confident in dealing with all these different engagements with
02:07mainland Chinese counterparts, because Taiwan should be confident in their ways of living,
02:14in their democratic achievements.
02:17And I do not think simply because of these cross-strait exchanges or engagements, then
02:23some Taiwanese will think, oh, I would be willing to unite with mainland China.
02:29So Taiwanese should be more confident in dealing with mainland China, more proactively and
02:33more competently, of course.