The PRC is the big brother in this relationship, and it has the capacity to be generous to Taiwan on this issue in a manner that might do much to defuse that issue internally in Taiwan.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
It's very important for Taiwan to maintain its international contact.
Taiwan and China are related ethnically and close neighbors geographically. There's no reason to resent or to fight against each other.
And it's difficult for the average American to understand why something like that could be so important and why a little small place like Taiwan would be so important to the PRC.
Taiwan is a major economy.
There is a great deal of concern in the Chinese military that Taiwan's reunification with China is drifting further and further away.
Taiwan has been so well developed economically. But we are underdeveloped culturally.
But if the Chinese mainland, the PRC, attacked Taiwan, we'd be obligated to come to their aid.
Ultimately, China may use force to push for unification with Taiwan, a scenario we all must work to prevent.
I have this idea of a Taiwan Consensus, which means people in Taiwan have to get together and form a consensus of their own and that they turn around to talk to the Chinese to form a cross-strait consensus so we can build a relationship on that consensus. And in my view, that is the right order to do things.
Taiwan matters because of its vital role in spreading democracy in East Asia. Taiwan matters because of its strategic importance to promote peace in the Pacific region.
No opposing quotes found.