The editorial addresses the politically motivated scheme of President Chen Shiu-bian to hold a referendum on Taiwan’s admission to the United Nations. Chen’s party, the DPP, holds a minority in Taiwan’s parliament and hopes to change that. The DPP is separatist, unlike the three main opposition parties in parliament. Elections are due next year.

Canadians know a thing or two about separatism and political strategies associated with it, so it seems fair to expect that editorial writers at The Chronicle Herald should be able to provide some wise commentary.

Instead, the editorial makes no reference to the fact that of the four main parties in Taiwan, only the DPP is separatist. Only passing reference is made to the fact that the coming elections are likely to be a severe test of the ability of the DPP to hang on to power. The strongest opposition party, the KMT, has traditionally held power in Taiwan. It is not in decline and is not in favour of separation.

What has been the Parti Quebecois’ favourite election strategy? Roll the drums of a referendum! Does The Chronicle Herald naively say, "Quebec is right," as it did for the current ploy of Taiwan’s governing party? No! But when the same election strategy is rolled out in Taiwan, The Chronicle Herald takes the bait, hook, line and sinker.

Let’s now consider mainland China, which has a different government and system of government from Taiwan. The Herald editorialists call China’s government "autocratic" and note that it is adamantly opposed to Taiwan’s separation. Fair enough, but regardless of the autocracy, what do the people of mainland China think about Taiwan’s possible separation? Living in China, I can assure you that whether communist, anti-communist or politically apathetic, I’ve met no one on the mainland who wants Taiwan to separate. Taiwan has traditionally been one of China’s provinces, and that’s how it is still regarded.

The government of the People’s Republic of China wants "one China, two systems." By this they mean one government system in the province of Taiwan and another on the mainland. This is the situation currently prevailing in Hong Kong and Macao. Some of the government’s critics in mainland China also want two – two parties. Where in China can an opposition government be found that knows how to run a country? Not on the mainland!

The opposition of the United States to Taiwan’s separation is unlikely to be mostly about trade and being nice to the People’s Republic of China, as the editorial implies. It’s more likely to be about the future evolution of governance in China as a whole. Taiwan as a separate nation is not going to help the evolution of alternative democracy within China. This view seems to be widely shared, since very few member countries of the United Nations support the addition of Taiwan as a member.

The editorial finished with a rather ludicrous comparison with Hungary and its invasion by Russia in the 1950s. A strong nation invaded another nation when the people of that nation decided to change their political course. For goodness sakes, this is a false comparison! Taiwan has changed its political course several times, and has not been invaded by its powerful mother. Invasion is not going to happen. Eventually, there will be a political compromise acceptable to both sides, and China will merge as one again. The issue is when and what form the compromise will take, not whether this will happen by force.

When the drums of separation roll in Quebec, Nova Scotians are naturally concerned about the effects that separation of Quebec would have on the Acadian people, most of whom do not want to see a separate Quebec. Is it too much to ask that the editorial board at The Chronicle Herald give a thought to what the people of mainland China think regarding the province of Taiwan, and about political machinations in the multi-party democracy of Taiwan?

Martin Willison is a Dalhousie University professor who is studying in China during a sabbatical leave.