hankyoreh

The ruling Kuomintang party recently won reelection by a large margin in the Taiwanese presidential and legislative elections. This unexpected rout reaffirmed the support of Taiwan's citizens for the country's version of the Sunshine Policy, which has brought economic growth and stability in cross-strait relations. With this, momentum was added to the process of unification between Taiwan and mainland China, where economic integration has been proceeding apace. It is a change wrought from mutual pragmatism, with Taiwan emphasizing the economy before politics and prioritizing easier tasks over more difficult ones, and China emphasizing the quieting of politics and placing concessions before demands. This transformation offers many implications for the wasteful antagonism of inter-Korean relations.
One impressive feature of the contest was the simultaneous homecoming of around 200 thousand Taiwanese businesspeople from the mainland to drum up votes for the Kuomintang. This reportedly represented 10% of the roughly two million Taiwanese businesspeople currently working in mainland China, and a huge number given that Taiwan has about 18 million voters. They have been key contributors to the growth of Taiwan's economy, which recently topped 10% annually.
The administration of president Ma Ying-jeou, who emphasized the easing of military tensions and promotion of the economy after taking office in 2008, has lent support to economic partnership through the signing of an Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement with Beijing. It achieved the so-called "three links" with trade, navigation, and postal service, and even permitted individual tourist trips by Taiwanese to the mainland. Economically at least, Taiwan and mainland China are now effectively integrated. This cross-strait stability and economic cooperation were major factors in Ma's opening up a six percentage point margin in his 51.6% victory over Democratic Progressive candidate Tsai Ing-wen, and in the Kuomintang's capturing of 48 of 79 local constituency seats in the Legislative Yuan election, compared to the Democratic Progressive Party's twenty-seven.
The Democratic Progressive Party's support was nothing to sneeze at. The numbers reflect the frustrations of people excluded by polarization and public concerns about a unification by absorption with the mainland. But contrary to expectations, even the roughly 800 thousand younger first-time voters did not show significant support for the opposition. This was likely the influence of experience from 2000-2008, the Democratic Progressive Party’s last time in power. During those eight years conflict deepened both across the straits and within Taiwan.
This approach of economy-first pragmatism between Beijing and Taipei, which places even peace treaty discussions on the back burner, has produced opportunities for mutual prosperity while quieting vivid memories of the protracted and bloody struggle between the Communist Party and the Kuomintang. The environment is so different today that it is impossible to apply the same yardstick, but the election in Taiwan certainly offers a lot to consider for Korea, which implemented the original Sunshine Policy.

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]