By L.C. Russell Hsiao & Julia Famularo
Since assuming office, Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou has placed a premium on economic and cultural dialogues with Beijing. This strategy has hitherto allowed Taipei to forestall negotiations on sensitive political issues. While the objectives of the economic talks are relatively clear, the same can’t be said about cultural dialogues. The motivations and implications of the latter are far more ambiguous.
To be sure, Beijing is increasing pressure on Taipei to enter into political negotiations. Yet President Ma has indicated that his administration will not enter into political negotiations with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) until certain preconditions in China are met. In the interim, Ma insisted that economic and cultural dialogues will remain the primary foci of cross-Strait exchanges. An important unanswered question looming over this process is the extent to which these cultural dialogues remain apolitical in nature.
Read the full story at The Diplomat