The KMT and DPP: Racing to Beijing?

The KMT and DPP: Racing to Beijing?
United Daily News editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)
A Translation
June 1, 2009

Chen Chu's visit to the Mainland has decreased tensions on both Taiwan and the Mainland. But on closer examination, it also conceals potentially chilling risks.

Chen Chu visited the Mainland during the May 17 protest march. The contrast between the two events was extreme. The march protested "Sympathy for [Mainland] China and betrayal of Taiwan." The visit to the Mainland on the other hand, "promoted Kaohsiung." The Democratic Progressive Party tried to conceal its actions. But when the show was over, it was clear that behind the scenes planning had gone on for a long time. Deep Greens were not the only ones who felt deceived. Most people were surprised by the sudden and dramatic change. Clearly the Democratic Progressive Party neither discussed nor sanctioned Chen Chu's visit. Such an earth-shaking event was decided in such a non-transparent manner, and implemented in such a deceitful fashion. Overnight, the political winds changed direction. Overnight, heaven and earth were turned upside down. Is this not terrifying? How can people not shudder?

How hypocritical are these political slogans? Yesterday they denounced "Sympathy for China and betrayal of Taiwan." Today Chen Chu toasts Mainland officials in Beijing. How capricious are these political changes? Yesterday they were diehard advocates of Taiwan independence. Today they stand on the banks of the Huangpu River and declare that "The ends of the world are right next door." They gush over Yangshan Port. They bask in their red carpet treatment. Politics means change. But such metamorphoses and mutations, out of nowhere, leave one stunned. Politics truly is incomprehensible. Politics truly is untrustworthy.

From this day forward, the public on Taiwan must have a new understanding of political change. Suppose some day the KMT and DPP fall over each other in their rush to "promote Taiwan" to Beijing. We will not only have a "KMT/CCP Forum." We will even have a "DPP/CCP Forum." Don't be surprised. Be nervous.

Chen Chu's visit to the Mainland is not an isolated case. The Democratic Progressive Party must account for its actions. If Chen Chu can affirm the Republic of China before the Beijing authorities, what reason does the Democratic Progressive Party have to demand Taiwan independence? If Chen Chu can be wined and dined by Mainland officials in Beijing and Shanghai, what reason does the Democratic Progressive Party have to beseige hotels hosting Mainland officials, and vandalize cars transporting Mainland officials?

The DPP must explain Chen Chu's visit. She cannot mysteriously go and mysteriously return. Prior to Chen Chu's visit, the DPP's official line was the "Wang Ting-yu Standard." Enmity, conflict, denunciations, violence, demands for Taiwan independence, and opposition to "sympathy for China and the betrayal of Taiwan." After Chen Chu's visit to the Mainland, the DPP apparently came up with a new set of "Chen Chu Standards." Peace, friendship, communication, exchanges, a revisionist form of Taiwan independence, and a mutually beneficial, win-win, cross-Strait relationship. This change in standards will change future dynamics within the Democratic Progressive Party. It will change the way the DPP interacts with hardline Deep Green Taiwan independence elements. It will change the way the DPP and the Pan Blue Camp grapple over the issues. It will change the way the Democratic Progressive Party negotiates with Beijing. Does the Democratic Progressive Party have the ability to undergo such a huge change? Can the "Chen Chu Standards" replace the "Wang Ting-yu Standards?" The Mainland authorities have given Chen Chu the red carpet treatment. Does the Democratic Progressive Party still intend to insult officials from Beijing? Chen Chu has proposed cooperation between Kaohsiung Port and Yangshan Port. Does the DPP still intend to boycott cross-Strait joint operation of these ports in the Legislative Yuan?

The DPP is undergoing changes. This is both heartening and worrisome. It is heartening that conflicts on Taiwan can be reduced, and that bipartisan cross-Strait policy can be improved. It is worrisome that the "good cop/bad cop" framework, in which the KMT reconciles with the CPP, while the DPP checks reconciliation with the CPP, may disintegrate. The two parties may compete with each other in their attempt to establish public or private channels with Beijing. Who knew that Chen Chu and the DPP also had "secret envoys" to Beijing, making it even easier for Beijing to manipulate the political situation on Taiwan? This situation has incalculable risks. Chen Chu successfully visited the Mainland, by means of deceitful, non-transparent means. Now that we know politicians can cavalierly betray their own May 17 protest march, what remains of public trust?

The Democratic Progressive Party applauded Chen Chu's performance on the Mainland. The Democratic Progressive Party did not explain the reasons for its change in behavior, before the fact. Nor has it accounted for the impact of its change in behavior, after the fact. The public sees only the Democratic Progressive Party, filled with vanity, competing with the KMT in front of the Mainland authorities. It denies deny betraying its own Deep Green supporters. It refuses to explain its 180 degree about face. If the Democratic Progressive Party cannot explain Chen Chu's visit to the Mainland to its Deep Green supporters and party insiders, how can it gain the trust of mainstream society?

Chen Chu's sudden visit to the Mainland gave the public a surprise. It also left them filled with suspicion and mistrust.

想像國民兩黨皆競相奔赴北京的那一天
【聯合報╱社論】
2009.06.01 05:49 am

陳菊登陸，為台灣內部及兩岸帶來些許寬鬆和緩的氛圍。但若進一步思量，其間潛藏的莫名風險卻亦令人不寒而慄。

陳菊在五一七遊行的背景下登陸，兩相對比的反差極大。遊行是反「傾中賣台」，登陸則是在杯觥交錯中「行銷高雄」。民進黨事前試圖全面掩藏消息，事後則顯示幕後籌劃已久。不但深綠極獨覺得受到欺騙，多數國人也對突如其來的巨變感到驚奇，在民進黨內則顯然未經體制機構的論證及決議。這麼一件翻天覆地的大事，就這樣在不透明的黑箱之中決策，又以瞞天過海的手段執行；一夕之間，風雲變色，乾坤顛倒，這可怕不可怕，豈能不教人不寒而慄？

政治的口號多麼虛偽，昨天傾中賣台的咒罵，今天皆消融於陳菊在北京高舉的酒杯中；政治的變化更是多麼難測，昨天還是鐵桿台獨，今天卻在黃浦江畔宣稱「天涯若比鄰」，盛讚洋山港，並享受「高規格」的豪華款待。政治當然寓藏變化，但這種不知來龍、難窺去脈，丈二金剛摸不到頭腦般的突變、遽變，確實令人頭皮發麻。說變就變，政治真是不可理解，不可信任！

從今以後，台灣人民必須對政治風雲持有新的想像力。如果某一天，出現國民黨、民進黨雙雙競相奔赴北京「行銷台灣」的景象，且非但有「國共論壇」，又有「民共論壇」；大家不必驚奇，但要繃緊神經。

陳菊登陸絕非「個案」，民進黨必須交代這個行動的前因與後果。如果陳菊可以在北京當局面前宣示對中華民國的國家認同，民進黨還有什麼理由搞台獨？如果陳菊在京滬接受中國官方的豪華宴席，則民進黨未來還有什麼理由在中國官員來訪時包圍酒店、砸爛來客的座車？

民進黨不能教陳菊不明不白地去，又不明不白地回來。陳菊登陸以前，民進黨認可的是「王定宇基準」：敵對、衝突、叫罵、暴力、台獨，與反傾中賣台；陳菊登陸後，民進黨似乎必須拿出一套新的「陳菊基準」：和平、友善、溝通、交流，修正的台獨，與兩岸互惠雙贏。這種基準的移變，將使民進黨內的互動改變，亦使民進黨與深綠極獨的互動改變，民進黨與藍營角力的題材改變，並使民進黨與北京的折衝策略改變。民進黨是否有能力承當得起這樣的巨大改變？「陳菊基準」是否可能取代「王定宇基準」？總不能在陳菊享盡中國官方的溫馨禮遇後，民進黨卻仍要將北京來客羞辱得灰頭土臉吧？總不能一面陳菊主張高雄港與洋山港合作，另一面民進黨卻在立院鬧場杯葛兩岸合營碼頭吧？

面對民進黨可能出現的變化，令人一則以喜一則以憂。喜的是台灣內部的內耗可能降低，兩黨的兩岸政策可能出現較佳的競合。憂的卻是今後「國民黨和解／民進黨牽制」的「黑白臉」架構可能解體，甚至兩黨競相以公開或私密的管道奔赴北京（啊，原來陳菊與民進黨也有「密使」！），以致中國更易操控台灣政局，其間不免有不測的風險。只消再回想陳菊如何經由完全不透明的黑箱、瞞天過海地登陸成功，即可知政治人物既能如此任意翻臉出賣五一七大遊行，還有什麼社會信任可言？

陳菊在大陸的表現，民進黨內一片喝采。民進黨事前不說明作此巨變的理由為何，事後也不交代經此巨變的後續效應如何。國人只看到民進黨內，充滿著一種能在中國當局面前與國民黨爭奇鬥艷、爭風吃醋的虛榮感；他們完全不認為他們背叛了一直被他們利用的深綠極獨群眾，也不對一百八十度的大轉彎作出任何解釋交代。民進黨若不能對深綠及黨內說清楚陳菊登陸的全盤因果關係，更如何建立主流社會對它的信賴？

陳菊突然一夕登陸，這對國人是一個驚奇，且也充滿了猜疑與不信任。