Should the U.S. promote Taiwan's independence?

The Associated Press

Taiwan's opposition Nationalist Party's Ma Ying-jeou, center, won in a landslide on Saturday. Ma favors closer relations with mainland China.

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Should the U.S. promote Taiwan's independence?

The United States policy toward Taiwan is a deceptively confusing one: One China. In theory, that means a free and democratic Taiwan unified with a free and democratic China. In practice, however, the U.S. policy is a delicate diplomatic game in which the United States supports democratic elections on Taiwan but not too much.

Taiwan on Saturday held elections again. This time, the Taiwanese elected a leader who favors closer ties -- perhaps even reunification -- with communist China.

An end to the more than half a century of hostility and tension between Taiwan and China may be in the offing with the election of a more China-friendly president for the island, but progress will be slow and tortuous.

The opposition Nationalist Party's Ma Ying-jeou won in a landslide on Saturday against an opponent who had tried to use recent bloody protests in Tibet to scare people into not voting for Ma. The Democratic Progressive Party's Frank Hsieh said Taiwan risked becoming another Tibet if Ma, with his more pro-China views, won.

Though that strategy backfired, Ma now has to try and reach out to China, but without being seen to compromise Taiwan's security. "The people of Taiwan hope for peace across the straits, they don't want war," Ma told thousands of cheering supporters in his victory speech.

Should the United States change is policy toward a free Taiwan? Are America's ties to China more important than good relations with the Taiwanese? Should the United States let Taiwan go its own way, even if that means Taipei grows closer to Beijing?

Ben likes: Taiwan Strait tightrope

Ted Galen Carpenter/Wall Street Journal Asia

Ma Ying-jeou's victory in Taiwan's presidential election Saturday promises to usher in a period of relative calm in the island's turbulent relations with mainland China. Mr. Ma's Kuomintang Party is determined to end the bold and provocative policies that President Chen Shui-bian has pursued toward Beijing over the past eight years. Beijing and Washington will both be relieved to have a government committed to preserving the status quo in the Taiwan Strait rather than pushing the envelope on a transition from de facto to de jure independence.

Joel likes: An opportunity for Beijing

Douglas Paal/New York Times

Today, Beijing can reduce the chances for a crisis that could destabilize the regime’s dream of continued economic growth and peace on its borders. Moreover, China can improve the prospects for long-term stability by rewarding the Taiwan people with some accommodation of their goals.

For example, China can move preemptively and largely symbolically to grant Taiwan international space by allowing its representative to observe the World Health Assembly in May. Beijing can implement a ceasefire in their contest for the allegiance of small states in the Pacific, Africa and Latin America. The Chinese army can halt new deployments opposite Taiwan and reduce the scale and tempo of military exercises. The list of options runs long.