Reality check for DPP authorities on Taiwan

As Taiwan braces for a third term of pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party authorities, so too will it face the political reality of a shrinking “diplomatic” recognition.

Lai Ching-te, who just won the island’s local leadership election to become its next leader, has made no secret of his “Taiwan independence” stance. As deputy leader of the island’s current authorities headed by Tsai Ing-wen, Lai openly said he was a “pragmatic worker for Taiwan independence”.

As Tsai’s successor, Lai has pledged to preserve the “status quo” across the Taiwan Strait. But he at once showcased that persistent attempt to expand the island’s so-called international space. For all the hope he would become more pragmatic on cross-Strait ties post-inauguration, there is little doubt he hopes to take advantage of the international “community of democracies” to seek a “diplomatic breakthrough” in pursuit of his cause.

But as the “diplomatic” setback surrounding the loss of Nauru indicates, that path forward may prove bumpy and cost the island dearly. Should Lai and his DPP colleagues ignore the lessons from Nauru and refuse to change course, worse might be on its way. Barely two days after Lai celebrated his election win, on Jan 15, the government of Nauru declared it would cut off “diplomatic relations” with Taipei. The second day, the country’s parliament passed the resolution to restore full diplomatic relations with Beijing.

On Wednesday, the foreign ministers of China and Nauru signed a joint communique on restoring diplomatic relationship. Ambassadorial level diplomatic ties were restored the very same day, with the Chinese Foreign Ministry counting Nauru as the 183rd country establishing diplomatic relations with Beijing.

“China and Nauru restoring diplomatic relations again demonstrated to the world that adhering to the one-China principle is an irresistible trend of history,” Foreign Minister Wang Yi said. “No matter how conditions on the island change … the international consensus supporting China to preserve its national sovereignty and territorial integrity will not change, the historical process of Taiwan’s inevitable return, and China’s inevitable reunification will not change.”

Wang also called for the “extremely small number of countries”, 12 now without Nauru, to follow Nauru’s example. “Diplomatic relations” with Taiwan are not only against those nations’ interests as well as UN Resolution 2758, but constitute damage to Chinese national sovereignty, and therefore “will be corrected sooner or later”, he said.

The DPP-led Taiwan’s international partnerships are set to dwindle still further in number. Reuters quoted Tuvalu’s finance minister as saying his country would review “diplomatic relationship” with Taiwan after its upcoming national election.

Rather than expanding the space for Taiwan’s presence on the international stage, the DPP has merely put the spotlight on its efforts to undermine the postwar order and international law and add another eruptive factor to an already volatile world.

Editorial, China Daily