From Biden and Xi to Blue and Green

Joe Biden and Xi Jinping, the two leaders of the U.S. and China, met in a historic encounter that received global attention. For those who were watching for their positions on the issue of Taiwan, neither side budged an inch. Although on the surface, both powers exhibited the smiles of soft diplomacy, neither Biden nor Xi will budge on Taiwan’s situation, which is to be expected. At least it was not a meeting with malicious intent, which is more than can be said of Taiwan’s polarized national consciousness in which the blue Kuomintang Party and green Democratic Progressive Party adhere to their own views and do not discuss anything.

While the whole world paid attention to Biden and Xi’s discussion of Taiwan, the outcome after the meeting ended was close to national and international predictions. Biden expressed to Xi his opposition to China’s coercion and increasingly provocative behavior toward Taiwan, while Xi proposed that resolving the Taiwan issue was a domestic matter for China. This kind of talk makes Taiwan anxious. How does the rest of the world regard Taiwan and the U.S. and China’s hard red line on the issue? It is a world divided, that’s how.

Before they both became leaders of their respective countries, Biden and Xi had met and could be considered old acquaintances. Meeting again years later as the two most influential leaders in the world, older and wiser, they must have had mixed feelings. However, international diplomacy is so raw and pragmatic that the two do not have time to sympathize with one another.

One of the main keys to Biden and Xi’s sharp opposition is that in arbitrating on the matter of Taiwan, Biden is not an impartial party, based on his defense of U.S. national interests and international order. Until now in Taiwan, on the issues of national interest and independence or reunification, Taiwan’s green and blue parties have always taken two parallel tracks that will never intersect.

For the sake of national interests, Biden and Xi can meet. For the sake of Taiwan’s national interests, green and blue parties have difficulty meeting! Of course, Taiwan’s local elections are currently being fought, just as the presidential election will soon be. Both parties coming together to discuss national interests in such a short period is a non-starter.