China Taiwan reconciliation – A handshake that was 66 years late

What was meant to be a private meeting between the leaders of China and Taiwan turned out to be the main event in President Xi Jinping’s agenda in his official state visit to Singapore. There were many agreements and MOUs to sign at the Istana between Singapore and China, speeches at NUS and other programmes, but all turned out to be sideshows. More than 600 media representatives congregated at the Shangri La Hotel in eager anticipation of something big or at least a historical event would unfold after the meeting and that they would not want to miss it.

China and Taiwan were technically still at war after the KMT govt fled the mainland after a long fought civil war. No peace agreement was signed since that eventful day in 1949 and both sides officially were not on speaking terms, diplomatically. A meeting of the two leaders was undiplomatic despite the strong and multi faceted relations of the people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits. China is the biggest trading partner of Taiwan and the growth engine driving the Taiwanese economy. But the leaders are not meant to be speaking to each other in public or in an official capacity.

Earlier media reports on the meeting between Xi and Ma was also supposed to be a hush hush private affair and no press statement was expected from the meeting. The dramatic turn of events when both leaders appeared and shaking hands in front of the media of the world, giving off their warmest handshake and smiles were signs that the meeting went off very well, at least better than expected.

The 66 years late handshake was followed by a press conference held separately by China and Taiwan. In the case of China, only 3 questions were accepted and the press conference ended quickly. In the case of Taiwan, it was like China acquiescing to Taiwan’s request for more space in the world stage, a full panel of Taiwanese officials led by Ma Ying Jeou faced the media and took more than a dozen questions from the crowded floor.

What was significant in this meeting was the sincerity and accommodating spirits of both sides to move forward and pave the way for closer cooperation and reconciliation. The only principle that China held on and shared by Taiwan is that there is one China as agreed in the 1992 Communique. The mood was positive and earnest and China made several concessions and goodwill gestures to accommodate Taiwan both in creating space and also in welcoming Taiwan to participate in joint ventures and other Chinese initiatives.

China now welcomes Taiwan’s membership in the AIIB that it objected earlier. Taiwan is also welcomed to participate in the New Silk Road project. A hot line would be established for the two sides and more space for Taiwan in the international scene as long as the One China Principle is abided by. The other concerns by Taiwan like interference in Taiwanese Presidential election and Chinese missiles pointing at Taiwan were also addressed. China officially said that it would not interfere in the Presidential Election and that the missiles were not targeted at Taiwan. The missile myth was a mischievous red herring created to stir up fear of China as it was not necessary to point the missiles at any country to mean that it was targeting that country, not forgetting that there are many hostile aircraft carriers at sea.

Ma Ying Jeou got his assurance from China that both sides would pursue peace and stability through negotiation and to cooperate for the future generations of the Chinese civilization on both sides of the Straits. The press conferences were testimonies that both China and Taiwan are positive about moving forward together under the One China Principle. Though reunification was still an issue left to the future generations, there is at least some closure and assurance that there are common grounds and objectives to work together for the good of the Chinese civilization.

China and Taiwan are one family. The two siblings have agreed to remove the hostilities of the past and to sit together for a meal and to work together as members of a family. The cordiality and optimism of both leaders could not be missed by all present at the press conferences and both leaders would return home with a sense of achievement that this is another milestone in the reconciliation process.

It was a story with a good ending.