DPP disguising separatist agenda as democracy

Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te has recently been peddling his so-called "green democracy" rhetoric.

By placing "democracy" at the center of his narrative, he is trying to inject an ideology-driven binary framework of confrontation into cross-Strait relations and the geopolitical situation in the Taiwan Strait.

This exposes his intention to involve external forces in manipulating the Taiwan question on the international stage.

A closer look at Lai's rhetoric shows that the Democratic Progressive Party's "green democracy" is essentially "Taiwan independence" in disguise.

In a recent speech, he repeatedly claimed that Taiwan stands at the "frontline of democracy", thus creating an atmosphere of confrontation across the Taiwan Strait.

By bypassing the core legal issue of national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and drawing ideological lines in the name of "democratic values", the DPP authorities are once again using their familiar tactic of attempting to "internationalize" the Taiwan question.

Lai's actions are nothing but an attempt to pursue separatism under the banner of democracy. In doing so, he hollows out the true meaning of democracy itself.

His "green democracy" rhetoric, a political trick long used by the DPP, is riddled with double standards.

The DPP authorities present Taiwan as a vulnerable party in order to win international sympathy.

For example, in his speech, Lai mentioned the so-called flight obstruction incident during his recent visit to Eswatini, using it to portray himself as a "victim" of "rule-breaking", while accusing the Chinese mainland of "interfering with civil aviation order".

But the DPP authorities ignore the fact that the international community widely upholds the one-China principle. Their attempt to create "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan" is itself a challenge to the existing international order.

Lai not only unilaterally tests the red line broadly recognized by the international community, but when his attempts meet resistance, he turns around and accuses others of breaking the rules.

In other words, when rules serve its political interests, the DPP loudly calls for respect for order.

But when those same rules stand in the way of its separatist schemes, it labels them political pressure. If this is not double standards, what is?

"Green democracy" is harmful to Taiwan. In his speech, Lai dragged the semiconductor and artificial intelligence industries into political confrontation and called for the building of so-called "democratic supply chains". Technological development and global trade have always depended on market rules and comparative advantage. Yet Taiwan's core industrial strengths are now being forcibly tied to specific political camps in an attempt to build exclusive technology barriers.

This move not only violates the principles of free trade, but also drags the global semiconductor supply chain into geopolitical rivalry.

The DPP authorities claim they are contributing to global economic prosperity, but in reality they are making the global technology industry bear the cost of tensions in the Taiwan Strait.

Worse still, they are turning the economic lifeline on which Taiwan residents depend into a bargaining chip against reunification.

Using bloc confrontation to interfere with market operations will inevitably weaken Taiwan's long-term industrial competitiveness. In the end, it is the Taiwan economy and residents of the island who will pay the price.

"Green democracy" is also deeply hypocritical. Lai loudly promotes Taiwan as a "beacon of democracy" and talks about "freedom", but since taking office, the DPP authorities have deliberately stirred up social conflict and division on the island.

They have even imposed "green terror" on groups and individuals who support cross-Strait exchanges, dialogue and peaceful development.

By creating social division and targeting political opponents, the DPP is seeking to consolidate its power base.

The outside world can see the true nature of its so-called "green democracy". Once the rhetorical disguise of Lai's "green democracy" is stripped away, the historical context of cross-Strait relations is clear, and the direction of development is beyond doubt.

The one-China principle is the political foundation for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. Once this foundation is removed, no amount of military equipment or "democracy" rhetoric can bring lasting security to Taiwan.

People on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are bound by blood. Only by promoting the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and deepening integrated development in various fields can the real interests of Taiwan residents be served.

Separatist schemes that go against the trend of history have no realistic support. Blind faith in external promises and polished rhetoric will ultimately collapse before the tide of history.

It is time for the DPP's "green democracy" farce to end.

The author is the director of the Center for Taiwan Studies at Xiamen University.

The views don't necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

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