My first reaction to the recent meeting between President Mister Ma Ying-jeou of Taiwan and President Mister Xi Jinping of China:
Over the past 10-15 years, other observers have noticed the similarity between Taiwan's KMT and cargo cultists -- particularly as the KMT touted economic relations with China as a panacea for curing all of Taiwan's woes.
After nearly 8 years with Ma in the presidency, voters don't believe Chinese manna's going to fall from heaven anymore, so the KMT's cargo cult has morphed from the economic to the political realm.
Got a tough election coming up?
The correct response isn't to fight a tough campaign or even prepare to retrench in the face of potentially-large losses at the polls.
No, the correct response is to go crawling to Beijing for a contentless photo-op with China's Communist dictator.
'Cause remember those 500,000 people who marched last year against closer trade relations with China? Well, when they see Ma shaking hands with Xi, they're gonna have a complete change of heart and demand MOAR ONE CHINA.
Or so the theory goes.
(Image from CBS News)
Now personally, I would be inclined to vote against the KMT for pulling a stunt like this to influence the outcome of an election only 2 months away. (Recall how bitterly the KMT bitched and moaned for 4 years about "sympathy votes" after an assassination attempt prior to the presidential election of 2004. Now however, the party seems positively smug about DELIBERATELY manufacturing a "November Surprise".)
But that's just me. I very much want to see how Taiwanese voters react.
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