分辨殖民與墾殖、關注新冷戰、前瞻兩岸關係

Differenciating settler colonialism from colonialism, analyzing new cold war and constructing cross-Strait relations

This essay applauds President Tsai's apology to indigenous peoples in 2016, but finds that part of her statement reveals Taiwan's prevailing understanding of history has not been faithful to facts. In addition, as settlers, colonizers and the colonized, and as the majority of population in Taiwan, Han Chinese' perspective has not been duly articulated. The author explores and contends that this historical misrecognition may have risen out of the situation that political relations between ROC and PROC has not been negotiated. Beijing insists on reunifying Taiwan under her 'one-country-two-systems', to which most Taiwanese cannot agree. While it is accepted by most Taiwanese, 'the status quo' is neither desirable nor sustainable. As the Mainland's economic power has been growing to match or surpass that of the US, coupled with America's 'good-will' or her global/regional strategic deployments, the status-quo runs the risk of becoming an incubator brewing a war. Ridding of this war threat and building towards a lasting peace across the Strait, two essential tasks will have to be completed. Firstly, what does it mean to the world (Taiwan included) as China is becoming economically and militarily the most powerful country next to the US. And secondly, why the US as the ever-expanding country creates and plunges herself into a new cold war situation. Taiwan needs to assess and subsequently learn from these implications and act accordingly. It is proposed that Taiwan has to prepare for a political negotiation with Beijing, aiming at reaching a political settlement that is appealing to both sides, then in due course both ROC and PROC should rejuvenate promises made in their respective Constitutions.