As Taiwan's 2024 election enters the countdown, the "double independence combination" composed of ** chairman Lai Qingde and his deputy Xiao Meiqin has attracted much attention. However, recent polls show that Lai's lead is narrowing, and even in some surveys, the gap between the two camps is already within the margin of error. This situation made Xiao Meiqin change her attitude, no longer vigorously advocating the idea of "**", but instead emphasizing the maintenance of the status quo on both sides of the strait, hoping to attract the support of more middle voters and consolidate her dominant position in the polls.
In a campus speech, Xiao Meiqin answered students' questions about cross-strait issues and Lai Qingde's "best ideas" in the past. She said that in the current international environment, maintaining the status quo is the general consensus of the international community, and although the status quo may not be completely satisfactory, it is not the state that the other side wants to see. She also stressed that only by maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait can we win more international support. Of course, for Taiwanese students, they also raised questions about the content of classical Chinese and classic texts that had been reduced in the Taiwanese syllabus. When Xiao Meiqin answered, she did not directly respond to this question, but emphasized that Taiwanese society is multicultural, and she is willing to treat it with a positive attitude. This response makes people feel that she is avoiding the problem and trying to shirk the responsibility of the *** authorities for the perverse behavior of Taiwan's education.
However, it is undeniable that there has been a subtle change in Hsiao's rhetoric on the *** issue, and this is likely related to the recent signals that the United States has conveyed to Taiwan. Rosenberg, chairman of the American Association in Taiwan, and Grace, a well-known American scholar, have recently said that the United States does not support the party and asked Lai Qingde to consider freezing the party program after he is elected. As a former Taiwan representative to the United States, Hsiao Mei-qin is very aware of the expectations of the United States, so she stressed that maintaining the status quo is the consensus of the international community, and in fact it is consistent with the current US strategy in the Taiwan Strait. China and the United States experienced a "cold war" for nearly a year, and did not return to normal until the end of the San Francisco summit. During this time, China sent a clear message to the United States that ** equals war. For the United States, if it does not want a war with China in the Taiwan Strait, it is necessary to contain the increasingly rampant ** forces. In this way, containment has become a tacit approach between China and the United States.
Xiao Meiqin obviously saw this tacit understanding between China and the United States, so she no longer hyped up the idea of **, but instead emphasized the compromised view of maintaining the status quo, which has not changed in essence. The core of the current situation in the Taiwan Strait is still the idea that "the two sides of the strait are not subordinate to each other". However, the status quo in the Taiwan Strait is not defined by the best forces, and China has long made it clear that Taiwan is part of China, and this is the real status quo. For the stubborn elements, the best choice is to have a clear understanding of the reality and not to make unnecessary struggles, because the general trend of cross-strait reunification will not change because of anyone's obstruction.
In Taiwan's political arena, the phenomenon of "narrowing the lead and Xiao Meiqin changing the degree" has attracted widespread attention. In my opinion, this is actually a very interesting phenomenon. First of all, it illustrates the sensitivity of voters to the thoughts and positions of candidates. Xiao Meiqin's move to change her degree can be seen as the result of gathering public opinion, and she may have realized that continuing to promote ** ideas will not win the support of voters. Second, Hsiao's change in attitude also reflects the United States' attitude toward the Taiwan Strait issue, and her rhetoric is consistent with the signals sent by the United States to Taiwan, both because she was Taiwan's representative to the United States and because of the tacit understanding between China and the United States on the Taiwan Strait issue. Finally, we have to admit that maintaining the status quo is the most stable and beneficial direction at present. Only by maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait can we win more international support for Taiwan and achieve better development.
To sum up, although Xiao Meiqin's move to change the degree has caused some controversy, it also reflects her understanding of reality and her responsibility to voters. Voters have their own expectations for Taiwan's future development, hoping to choose a leader who can stabilize and safeguard Taiwan's interests. And when Xiao Meiqin expressed her stance to maintain the status quo, she also let us see that Taiwan's political pattern is undergoing subtle changes. Regardless of the outcome of the election, we hope that Taiwan can embark on the path of peaceful and stable development and achieve harmony and prosperity.