China Offers Panda-Incentive

Max Peck / February 01, 2008, 12:30 PM / Global Political Relations / #3

In today’s modern world, how might one international superpower indirectly assert its dominance over a relatively minuscule country? If you answered “send them a couple of pandas,” then you are correct!

Yang Yi, a spokesman for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, told the Chinese press that all preparations had been completed and the pandas “could leave soon” for Taiwan. Both are cubs at around five months old; one is named Fu Long (Lucky Dragon) and the other remains unidentified.

The last time that China, specifically its Beijing offices, offered to send pandas to Taiwan was in 2005 during the last Taiwanese elections, when the leader of the opposition Nationalist Party was paying them a visit. The key point here is that the opposition Nationalist Party favors the reunification of Taiwan and China. With the added incentive of two baby pandas, Taiwan now has a very difficult decision on its hands.

Current Taiwanese president Ma Yingjeou has repeatedly turned down China’s offers of baby panda gifts; this China asserts is all part of his plan to establish permanent independence from the mainland.

Besides the panda offerings, China has stayed away from the political arena of Taiwan recently, since when it has gotten involved in the past the pro-independence vote was only strengthened.

This story is humorous to me (and most certainly not humorous to Chinese officials) which, more than anything, highlights the disparity in world views between myself (representing Americans) and the Chinese. In my last article, I made note of the passive-aggressive political strategies enacted more often than one might realize – this story is a prime example. Only time will tell if it actually works.

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=4220420 (Associated Press)