To what extent have China's recent policies with Taiwan promoted better cross-strait

relations?
Relations across the Taiwan Straits have been unprecedentedly peaceful since KMT returned
to power in 2008. The consistent stance of anti-independence of both the KMT and CCP
has allowed more avenues of dialogues and openness across the straits. Therefore, China is
now extending more friendliness towards this renegade state to prevent Taiwan from
separating with the mainland. China's recent soft policies towards Taiwan have been
successful in promoting peaceful cross-strait relations as there are now more communication
and interaction between them on the social, cultural and economic levels. However, the extent
of success can be improved in the long term with more interaction and more freedom from
China on the political scale, which is primarily the fundamental core of the problems.
China's policies of engaging Taiwan economically has promoted more peaceful cross-strait ties
as both parties have benefits in place to avoid mutually destructive tensions. The Chinese
economy has been growing rapidly at an average of 10% per annum, while Taiwan's economy
has been on the decline, which is also affecting socio-political stability recently. Understanding
the urgent need for Taiwanese policy makers to revive its economy, China is using its economic
advantage to pull the island out of its predicament. The signing of the Economic Cooperation
Framework Agreement in June 2010 is a milestone for cross-straits trade relations; the other
milestone would be the Three Direct Links in November 2008. Taiwan's economy has seen
some light hope in recent years as trade and tourism across the Straits flourished. This has also
increased communication and interaction between them. The lure of the booming Chinese
economy is so strong, even pan-Green politicians have been opening its cities to Chinese trade,
such as Tainan and Kaoshiung. Therefore, lucrative economic policies are platforms for cross
straits rapprochement as both parties are becoming more connected economically. IN fact,
Taiwan's economy revived with increased trade and tourism across the straits. However, some
critics from the pan-green camp contest these economic policies as a way of coercing Taiwan
into depending on the mainland for good. This may pose a political danger for the ruling KMT,
which seeks to further establish better ties with the mainland in future. Nonetheless, China's
soft approach of using economic policies to engage has been successful as exchanges
between Taiwan and China have increased tremendously over the past years.
China's policy of connecting the people through religion and culture has met with success as
the Taiwanese and Chinese are beginning to break down barriers to facilitate more
understanding. Breaking down social barriers and to reconnect the Taiwanese with the Chinese
roots is a soft approach used by the CCP for rapprochement. Using the main religion and
beliefs of the Taiwanese, Buddhism and worship of Ma Tzu have been promoted in the
mainland, hoping to draw some religious-cultural links from both sides of the straits. The most
prominent being the 2006 and 2009 World Buddhist Forums held in Hangzhou and Wuxi
respectively. Buddhist communities from both sides of the straits are drawn closer culturally
and religiously

with more understanding. This move may pose to be more with the Taiwanese. This also
shows China's unprecedented tolerance towards religions. Similarly, art has also been
used as a symbolic means of reconnecting both sides of the straits peacefully. The recent
rejoining of the near 1000 year old painting, dwelling on the Fu Chun Mountain, was
displayed in Taipei. This action was China's much softer approaches of using art and
religions to bind the peoples across the straits have no pragmatic value to t, the deeper
symbolism is of long term value to promoting better cross-strait relations.
By allowing more international space for Taiwan, China is showing more tolerance and
patience on cross-strait relations, reducing tensions on the international scale. One
important step in showing leeway for Taiwan is China's restraints on its criticisms on the
former's request for more international space. By allowing a high profiled delegation,
represented by high level KMT officials during the 2008 Beijing Olympics; Taiwan's request
to be an observer state at the world Health Assembly during the 2009 H1N1 outbreak was
not blocked by China. This extension of olive leafs rather effective in promoting peaceful
cross-strait relations as sine if these policies are backed by humane reasons, showing that
Chinese government cares for the people of Taiwan. However, it must be noted that the
Chinese government's policies on giving Taiwan more international space is more ad hoc
and short term rather than long term. Moreover, China is treading carefully on these
policies as too much international space may send the wrong message to the international
community and Taiwan, that t is seeing the island as a separate country. Most notably,
when Taiwan tried vying for a UN seat, it was rebuked by the Chinese government for
separation sentiments. In view of this, China's policy of allowing more international space
for Taiwan is an effective approach, yet it is not a feasible one in the long run.
Although China's soft approaches towards Taiwan might have been effective in promoting
peaceful cross-strait relations thus far, the effectiveness may have been limited as both parties
have not been addressing the core of the problems revolving politics and military factors.
China's polices have to move towards the political scale to further improve cross-strait relations
in the long run, as this is the real core of the issue. Communication between both parties has
thus far been limited to economics, culture and religion. Talks between leaderships of the
mainland and the island have never been materialized, and such deals have been avoided till
now. Rather, representatives from non-governmental organizations and the academic circle
sanctioned by both governments have been negotiating and communicating on their behalf.
The Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits {ARATS) and the Straits Exchange
Foundation (SEF) have been paving the way for peace across the straits through dialogues.
Furthermore, the policy of "economics first, politics last" from both governments is not
addressing the core issue, which would limit long term rapprochement. Long term peace can
only be achieved when both leaders meet to address other problems. However, this would be a
daunting task for both governments, as political issues between both parties are complex. The
cross-strait issue is a remnant of the Cold War, and it would be a challenge to each party's
ruling governments to discuss on the political scale to resolve cross-strait tensions may still not
be feasible today, yet it is still essential in attaining a resolution in the years to come.

China's recent policies are also limited in creating better cross-strait ties as military threats
toward Taiwan is still imminent, thus preventing peace process across the straits. long term
rapprochement for cross-strait relation may not be Taiwan is still the target of 1000 old missiles
from the mainland as a preventive measure against the island's separation. Furthermore, the
2005 Anti-Secession law justifies the use of military force against Taiwan's break away. These
policies from the mainland is still creating tension at the Taiwan Straits, limiting the
effectiveness of the soft policies implemented thus far, as many Taiwanese still view the
mainland as a hegemon. By acting aggressively and aggressively against Taiwan, the
Taiwanese would continue to be skeptical against the mainland, and not call for long term
rapprochement. The continued purchase of weapons from the USA to Taiwan shows that the
island is still wary of China's motives, when calls from the Taiwanese President for the removal
of military threats are constantly ignored. In the long run, the vicious cycle of suspicion may not
be easily removed, so long as military threat is still in existence. However, the removal of
military threat against Taiwan may not be active. Moreover, China has to be assertive and
aggressive as the unity of the country has implications on the long term legitimacy of the
CCP. Given the exiting and immediate threat of pro-independence movements in Taiwan
today on the survival of the party, it is highly unlikely that military threats would be removed.
China's recent policies with Taiwan have been mostly soft approaches and have been very
effective in promoting a more peaceful cross-strait relationship. There have been more
interactions and communication on the economic, social and cultural scale than previously seen.
Moreover} these policies have helped to break down walls of misunderstanding which used to
plague cross-strait relations. However, China still maintains the use of hard power against
Taiwan, and both parties have not been addressing the core political issues plaguing them since
1949. These limitations are flaws to the current adopted by China in promoting better ties
across the straits. Therefore, China has to reduce military threats and step up political talks with
Taiwan, and at the same time continue accelerating current economic and socio-cultural
policies.