Actually in this case it's more to do with domestic Taiwan politics. The Taiwan President's party is the minority in Parliament so he's trying to woo one of the more pro-Beijing parties over to his side.

This isn't anything new. China's explicit policy is to attack Taiwan if they declare independence. They demand assurances every now and then that Taiwan still considers itself a part of China and supports unification. Every year or so, the Taiwanese government reiterates its commitment to a "one China" policy, even as it bolsters its own democratic institutions, though it regularly says that reunification is inappropriate until conditions between the two entities are more similar (i.e., China becomes a democracy, though this point is generally not made explicitly).

There's something to be said for injecting China with more democracy. Moving towards democracy is going to take a long time for China. Its demographic inertia. But its going to happen. There will probably have to be a confrontation or two, but hopefully increased exposure to western ideas will loosen them up.

Sounds like they're taking a line from the Norks handbook. No better way to get china to ease off, then spit in their collective face. That'd doubly piss off the chinese b/c they'd have to give the overture credence, while knowing their own jackass play is being used against them. Heh.

"There's something to be said for injecting China with more democracy."

I think the word you're looking for is "infecting." Infecting. This stuff is contagious, democracy.

Beijing's learning -- like with Hong Kong -- that if you want prosperity, you've got to play by capitalist rules.
They're losing the ideological battle. If this keeps up, it won't matter if Taiwan is reintegrated with the mainland.

Yeah, it's possible now that China is gradually giving up on Communism.

This is a victory for Taiwan, really. Kind of like the E Germany - W Germany reunification.

Ah, c'mon.

Diplomacy is learning to say "nice doggie" whilst groping for a bigger stick.

Nice China. Good China. Oooh, what a nice China it is...

Regards,
Ric

I spent about a year in Taiwan, spread out from 1999 to 2003.

I'd say they are split evenly between a) reunification, b) independence, c) leave well enough alone.

I think well enough alone right now is the best plan.