With less than a month left before the 2024 Taiwan leadership election, the political atmosphere on the island is becoming increasingly tense. Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) deputy candidate Hsiao Mei-qin's recent remarks on cross-strait issues have aroused widespread concern. She stressed that "maintaining the status quo is the greatest common denominator of the world".
Zhu Fenglian: The essence of the cross-strait status quo is that there is only one China in the world
At the press conference of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council held on Wednesday (13th), Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, clearly emphasized in response to a question from Shenzhen Satellite TV: "The essence of the status quo between the two sides of the strait lies in the fact that there is only one China in the world, and the mainland and Taiwan both belong to one China. China's sovereignty and territorial integrity are indivisible. She further elaborated that the real significance of maintaining the status quo lies in resolutely opposing the "Taiwan independence" separatist forces and protecting cross-strait relations from being undermined by these forces.
Press Conference of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council (13 December)
Liu Kuangyu: The current state of cross-strait relations must be based on the overall consideration of legal, historical, and political principles
In response to this problem, Liu Kuangyu, an associate researcher at the Institute of Taiwan Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told Shenzhen Satellite TV Direct News, "For a long time, the Taiwan authorities have followed the US side to hype up cross-strait issues, and there are significant deviations in their understanding of the current situation on both sides of the strait. He stressed that understanding the current state of cross-strait relations must be based on a holistic consideration of legal, historical, and political principles. On this basis, there can be no doubt about the fact that both sides of the strait belong to one China, and the essence of cross-strait relations should be to jointly seek national reunification.
Liu Kuangyu criticized the DPP authorities' deliberate distortion and denial of the cross-strait status quo, pointing out that they regard the current state of separation between the two sides of the strait as "the status quo in the Taiwan Strait." He believes that this viewpoint is aimed at solidifying the current state of division and refusing to recognize the '92 consensus and the "one China" principle, which in essence is a denial and distortion of the political relations between the two sides of the strait that both belong to "one China." Further, the DPP authorities not only want to perpetuate this state of separatism, but also try to perpetuate it, even permanently, in order to reject reunification with the mainland. Liu Kuangyu said.
Liu Kuangyu also analyzed the DPP's strategy of using the "status quo theory", that is, the DPP's purpose is to take off its own hat as a saboteur of the status quo, shift the responsibility to Chinese mainland, and at the same time link this with international consensus to provide a pretext for international intervention in Taiwan Strait affairs. The DPP authorities are trying to worsen the status quo between the two sides of the strait and seek to achieve so-called "independence" in all respects, both de facto and de jure, by escalating confrontation and conflict.
Taiwan's Educational Reform Debate: "De-Sinicization" or "Historical Amnesia"
As a matter of fact, the core of the cross-strait status quo lies in the "one China," that is, the mainland and Taiwan both belong to one China, and this principle not only involves the political level, but also has a profound impact on the cultural and educational fields.
Ou Guizhi, a teacher at Taiwan's North No. 1 Girls' High School, strongly criticized the "de-sinicization" of Taiwan's education curriculum because it is related to a sensitive and critical issue in the cross-strait status quo – that is, the maintenance of cultural identity and historical memory.
Zhu Fenglian pointed out at a news conference on Wednesday that although the DPP authorities are promoting "de-sinicization" and trying to sever cross-strait cultural ties, this cannot change the Chinese cultural identity and the Chinese national identity in Taiwan society. She said that Teacher Ou's remarks reflected the voices of many teachers, parents, experts and scholars on the island, and were the voice of justice.
She also pointed out that any "de-Sinicization" approach will not be able to change the Chinese cultural identity and the Chinese national identity that are deeply rooted in Taiwan society, nor can it sever the historical ties between the two sides of the strait and the blood ties of compatriots. She warned that the DPP authorities' behavior of going against the tide and forgetting their ancestors will inevitably face stronger opposition from compatriots on both sides of the strait.
Taipei No. 1 Girls' High School teacher Ou Guizhi speaks at the press conference of the "New Three-Self Movement Association for History Education" (Source: Xinhua News Agency)
Political Motivations: Deep-seated Challenges to Taiwan's Education Syllabus
Liu Kuangyu believes that education is a long-term plan, and the phenomenon of "de-sinicization" behind it is not a simple education issue, but a specific manifestation of political motivation. He believes that this is part of the "cultural Taiwan independence" and "de-Sinicization" strategy systematically planned by the Tsai authorities of the Democratic Progressive Party. Although the Tsai Ing-wen government does not dare to directly promote "de jure Taiwan independence," it has weakened cross-strait cultural and historical ties through "cultural Taiwan independence." This strategy of "breaking" and "establishing" aims to undermine the identity of Chinese culture and at the same time construct the so-called "Taiwanese nation" subjectivity.
Looking back at Taiwan's educational reform over the past 20 years or so, it has always been carried out under the guidance of the ghost principle of "de-Sinicization" of the Taiwan authorities, and the evil consequences of such perverse actions have been twofold; Liu Kuangyu pointed out: On the one hand, the Taiwan authorities' efforts to sever cross-strait historical ties include revising the history syllabus, downplaying the importance of Chinese history, and promoting the propagation of the "flattering view of history." The second is the transformation of Taiwan's "cultural identity", which is mainly manifested in the dwarfing of the Chinese language and the redefinition of the "national language", as well as the dilution of the national classics and their replacement with the so-called "Taiwanese culture".
"For example, the Cai authorities passed 'legislation' to degrade 'Chinese (Chinese)' to 'Mandarin', which is listed as a parallel 'official language' along with Hokkien, Hakka, and minority languages." Liu Kuangyu said.
Liu Kuangyu: Education is a key area that will determine the future
While discussing the possible impact of the continuous "de-Sinicization" of education on the island on the future of the two sides of the strait and the coping strategies, Liu Kuangyu pointed out that education is the key area that determines the future, and behind Taiwan's current education policy lies an ideological struggle, which is not only competing for the identity and values of the younger generation, but also directly affects the development of cross-strait relations.
Liu Kuangyu suggested: On the one hand, it is necessary to maintain resolute opposition and high-pressure containment of all kinds of "Taiwan independence" and its variants on the island, including Tsai Ing-wen's "new two-state theory" and Lai Qingde's "pragmatic Taiwan independence theory" combined with "double independence," as well as its decoupling, severing chains, and separatist practices in culture, education, law, economy, and other fields.
On the other hand, it is necessary to have more direct conversations with the island, whether it is to walk over or invite in. "It is necessary to let the people on the island, especially the youth and the first-generation ethnic groups, feel the consistency and affinity of the cultural identity of the two sides of the strait through personal experience, and continue to build a common cognitive structure and interest foundation for future generations on both sides of the strait. Liu Kuangyu said.
Youth exchanges break the ice: the policy of the Taiwan authorities is against the current and unhindered cross-strait integration
The issue of "de-sinicization" in Taiwan's education curriculum stands in stark contrast to the recent increase in cross-strait exchanges. Straight News noted that in 2023, the increase in cross-strait exchange activities, especially in the fields of culture and art, education and scientific and technological innovation, provides Taiwanese youth with opportunities to experience the development of the mainland firsthand. For example, in Guangdong, on November 30, with the conclusion of the second Cross-Strait and Hong Kong and Macao E-sports League finals in Shenzhen, the Shenzhen Cross-Strait Exchange and Integration Month came to a successful conclusion. More than 30 activities of the exchange and integration month have attracted wide attention from compatriots on both sides of the strait, and more than 2,000 people from all walks of life on the island have participated.
Zhu Fenglian pointed out that many young people from Taiwan have come to the mainland for the first time. One of the feelings they have in common is three words: "different". After many Taiwanese youths come to the mainland for the first time, they find that the actual situation is different from the negative information on the island. She stressed that the mainland's development and progress, as well as the friendliness and enthusiasm of the mainland compatriots, have changed the perception of some young people in Taiwan toward the mainland, and they hope to visit the mainland more frequently in the future. She appealed that negative information on the island should not be allowed to limit the understanding and imagination of the mainland.
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Liu Kuangyu said in his analysis that the cross-strait exchange activities actively promoted by the mainland, especially in the fields of culture and art, education, and scientific and technological innovation aimed at young people, provide a unique opportunity for Taiwan's young people to experience the mainland's development and progress firsthand, thus helping to break down the prejudice and estrangement brought about by the "de-Sinicization" education policy.
Commenting on the behavior of obstructing cross-strait exchanges on the island, Liu Kuangyu said: "The DPP authorities' continued obstruction of normal cross-strait exchanges not only affects the quality of cross-strait exchanges, but may also have a long-term negative impact on the world outlook of Taiwan's youth. ”
"Despite these challenges, through various cultural exchange and educational cooperation projects, we can still build a deeper level of mutual understanding and respect between young people on both sides of the strait," he added. ”
He stressed that the strategy to deal with this situation includes resolutely opposing and curbing all kinds of "Taiwan independence" acts on the island, and at the same time strengthening direct dialogue with the people on the island, especially young people and groups who have come to the mainland for the first time, so as to feel the consistency and affinity of the cultural identity of the two sides of the strait through personal experience.
This approach will help build a common cognitive structure and interest base for future generations on both sides of the strait, and promote the peaceful development and integration of cross-strait relations, "which is crucial for the long-term stability and development of cross-strait relations, especially in the context of the current 'de-sinicization' education policy and the attempts of certain political forces on the island to obstruct cross-strait exchanges." Liu Kuangyu said.
Author丨Tian Xin, Shenzhen Satellite TV direct news reporter in Beijing