Ma Ying-jeou's Three in One Thesis

Ma Ying-jeou's Three in One Thesis
United Daily News editorial
translated by Bevin Chu
June 14, 2007

Comment: The following United Daily News editorial, it pains me to say, is yet another gutless, fence-straddling, Pale Blue/Pale Green, non-solution to Taiwan's problems.

It panders to atavistic "ben tu" nativist mob sentiment and fails to address the core issue plaguing the Taiwan region of China, namely, the Taiwan independence movement's self-hating "Taiwanese, not Chinese" identity politics.

It prattles on about "transcendent" solutions even as it utterly defaults on the obligation to offer a transcendent solution.

A truly transcendent solution would require original thought, something sorely missing on today's Taiwan.

Ma Ying-jeou's Three in One Thesis
United Daily News editorial
translated by Bevin Chu
June 14, 2007

Ma Ying-jeou is currently visiting Singapore and India. Before boarding his plane, he gave a speech at National Chiao Tung University, proposing to turn Taiwan into an "Asian Pacific Economic and Trade Platform."

The media did not consider Ma Ying-jeou's proposal worth reporting. Possibly because it reminded them of the Kuomintang (KMT) government's concept of an "Asian Pacific Transhipment Center" over a decade ago, or the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government's trumpeted "Global Operations Center" a few years ago, both of which have remained slogans, neither of which have become a reality. Ma Ying-jeou's name change to "Asian Pacific Economic and Trade Platform" this late in the game, smacks of "Three strikes, you're out!"

Actually, it shouldn't be regarded as a rehash of the same idea. Taiwan's problems can be found at three different levels, represented by three concentric rings. From the inside out, they are: "Taiwan -> The Two Sides of the Taiwan Strait -> The World." Taiwan must have access to the outside world. To establish a role for Taiwan on the world stage, one must use the cross-Straits springboard. Conversely, from the outside in, the three concentric circles are "The World -> The Two Sides of the Taiwan Strait -> Taiwan." Taiwan must make use of links to the outside world to manage cross-Straits relations. Taiwan cannot skip over cross-Straits relations, but cross-Straits relations must be constrained by the international community.

The Asian Pacific Platform is this platform of concentric rings. When Taiwan becomes the international economic and trade platform for the Asian Pacific rim, the international community will unite and interact with this economic and trade platform. So long as this economic and trade platform functions smoothly, economic and trade relations will bring Taiwan and the international community closer, and cross-Straits relations will be constrained by the international community. This has been our position for over a decade. So long as Taiwan's economic and trade role can be internationalized, Taiwan's problem can be internationalized!

The Asian Pacific platform is not merely an economic and trade concept. When the Asian Pacific Platform strengthens Taiwan's economic and trade role, not only does it introduce opportunity and wealth to Taiwan, it also introduces substantive diplomatic relations and "soft resources" beneficial to national defense.

Therefore, the "Asian Pacific Platform" is a "Three in One Thesis." First, it can reinforce Taiwan's primacy, making it Taiwan's "Nativist Thesis." Second, it can promote cross-Straits peace and a win/win scenario, making it Taiwan's "Cross-Straits Thesis." Third, it advocates opening Taiwan to the international community, making it Taiwan's "Globalist Thesis." The Asian Pacific Platform can and must attempt to combine the Nativist, Cross-Straits, and Global theses.

Actually, Taiwan has always played the role of "international platform" at some level in the global economy. During the 50s and 60s, that role was entry level "export processing zone." During the 80s and 90s, that role was upgraded to "science park." But today, that kind of localized platform is no longer adequate to support Taiwan's long term development. Taiwan must transform the whole of Taiwan into a huge platform, exploiting its geographical and cultural advantages. It must attempt to develop the "Three in One Thesis" to its full potential. Only then can it begin to transcend today's unfortunate "Nativist/Cross-Straits/Globalist" zero sum game, and champion a mutually complementary "Nativist/Cross-Straits/Globalist" win/win proposition. In other words, the platform cannot be confined to science parks. The whole of Taiwan must become a huge platform. The more democratic the politics, the freer the trade, the more open the doors to the nation!

Even more importantly, the Asian Pacific Platform is a Nativist Thesis that transcends nativism. It is a Cross-Straits Thesis that transcends cross-Straits considerations. The Asian Pacific Platform transcends reunification vs. independence issues. It is neither reunification nor independence. It is both reunification and independence. "Three Links" under the Asian Pacific Platform is no longer a narrowly defined cross-Straits issue. Instead, it deals with "Three Links" from a commanding international perspective. Only from the global perspective of the "Asian Pacific Platform" can the "Nativist Thesis" and the "Cross-Straits Thesis" trade a "kill or be killed" proposition for a "live and let live" proposition.

Ma Ying-jeou's proposed "Asian Pacific Platform" underscores the futility of Lee Teng-hui and Chen Shui-bian's decade long internal bickering and wheel-spinning. Taiwan has missed out on a decade of opportunities to become the Asian Pacific Platform. But although the hour is date, what alternative does Taiwan have?

The Rectification of Names and New Constitution "Nativist Thesis" is nothing less than a demand that Taiwan commit suicide. Taiwan must pursue a "Three in One Taiwan Thesis" that addresses the concerns of each the "Nativist/Cross-Straits/Globalist" rings. Only then will Taiwan have the possibility of long term development. The Asian Pacific Platform could be called the "Asian Pacific Transhipment Center" or "Global Operations Center," but no matter what one calls it, it is the only means by which Taiwan can pursue development and ensure its survival.

Original Chinese below:

亞太平台：三合一的台灣論述
【聯合報╱社論】
2007.06.14 03:48 am

馬英九出訪新加坡及印度。登機前，他在交通大學演說，提出將台灣建設為「亞太經貿平台」的主張。

馬英九的主張未獲媒體重視。揆其原由，可能是因這類概念自十幾年前國民黨政府楬櫫「亞太營運中心」，至數年前民進黨政府標榜「全球運籌中心」以來，率皆流於口號，未能一鼓作氣、劍及屨及；馬英九如今換個「亞太平台」的名號提出，已至再而衰、三而竭的地步。

其實不能視為炒冷飯。台灣問題是一個同心圓，由內到外是「台灣→兩岸→世界」，台灣必須走出去，並藉兩岸的跳板來建立台灣的世界角色；相對而言，由外到內則是「世界→兩岸→台灣」，台灣必須善用境外資源，並藉世界的參與來節制兩岸關係。台灣不可能跳過兩岸關係，但兩岸關係亦必須獲得國際的制約。

想像中，亞太平台就是這個同心圓的平台。當台灣成為亞太海陸介面的國際經貿平台之時，國際的經貿關係及經貿利益皆可透過這個經貿平台與台灣結合及互動；只要這個經貿平台的機能愈強，台灣與國際經貿利益的結合愈緊密，兩岸關係就愈能受到國際的維護與節制。這正是我們十餘年來的一貫主張：只要使台灣經貿機能國際化，台灣問題就能國際化！

亞太平台不僅是一個經貿概念。因為，當「亞太平台」強化了台灣的經貿角色，不僅可為台灣引進商機與財富，同時亦引進了實質的外交關係，甚至亦引進了有益於國防的「軟資源」。

因此，「亞太平台」正是「三合一台灣論述」。一、它能強化台灣主體，是台灣的「本土論述」；二、它能促進兩岸和平雙贏，是台灣的「兩岸論述」；三、它主張開放使國際進入台灣，因此也是台灣的「世界論述」。將「本土／兩岸／世界」三合一，這是亞太平台應當追求亦是可能追求的境界。

其實，台灣在世界經濟上始終扮演著某種層級的「國際平台」的角色。五十、六十年代的「加工出口區」，即是基礎級的國際平台；八十、九十年代的「科學園區」，亦是升級後的國際平台。但是，如今這類「點」狀的平台已不足支撐台灣的永續發展；台灣必須將整個台灣建設為一個「體」狀的大平台，運用地緣及人文上的優勢，設法將前述「三合一」的「同心圓」論述發展到極致，始有可能跳出如今「本土／兩岸／世界」相互剋殺的厄運，而追求「本土／兩岸／世界」相輔相成、共生共榮的境界。換句話說，平台不能只在科學園區，整個台灣就是一個大平台；政治更民主，經貿更自由，國家大門更開放！

更重要的是：亞太平台是本土論述，但超越本土；亦是兩岸論述，但超越兩岸。亞太平台超越統獨，包容統獨；它非統非獨，亦統亦獨。例如，在亞太平台下談「三通」，已不是狹隘的兩岸議題，而是從國際平台的高度來談「三通」。唯有在「亞太平台」的世界觀之下，「本土」與「兩岸」始非相剋相殘，而能相生相成。

馬英九於此時提出「亞太平台」的主張，更加凸顯了十餘年來李登輝與陳水扁的內耗空轉。台灣欲成為亞太平台，確實已經錯失了十餘年來的較佳時機；但是，即使為時略晚，台灣捨此實看不出尚有其他任何生路可言。

正名制憲的「唯本土論述」不啻是叫台灣自殺的論述，必須追求「三合一的台灣論述」，調和「本土／兩岸／世界」的同心圓，台灣始有可能永續發展。亞太平台，你也可叫它「亞太營運中心」，或叫它「全球運籌中心」，仍是台灣為求生存發展所必須追求的政經目標！