Editor’s Note: We thank the editor of www.chinareviewnews.com for permitting us to translate this article into English and publish both the English and the Chinese versions on www.ChinaUSFriendship.com. The Chinese article was first published by www.chinareviewnews.com on February 26, 2010.

On February 23, I published an article on Singapore's Zaobao.com entitled "The Road of Recovery and the Path to Decline: From Disappointment to Despair" to discuss the growth and decline of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. It was reprinted by the ChinaReviewNews.com. On February 24, the United Daily News in Taipei published an article entitled "When a Tiger Meets a Sick Cat" by the renowned economist Ma Kai who is currently the editor-in-chief of the Economic Daily News. It also analyzed the shift of the cross-strait balance of forces.

Although Professor Ma and I have known each other for years and we are both public intellectuals, he is an economist while I specialize in law and politics. Due to different professional specialties, we seldom got together. Our similar viewpoints in these articles came about with no prior consultation. Both cared about the places where we were born and grew up and had no intention of making disparaging remarks on Taiwan. But seeing the current chaos in Taiwan and its inability to resolve the dilemma, of course, we feel apprehensive.

Let us first take a look at the viewpoints of Professor Ma. He said that two decades ago Taiwan had written a brilliant history of economic miracle and was proud of its success.  Looking around then Taiwan was extraordinarily complacent. Twenty years later, Taiwan is becoming hesitant and aimless due to a closed-door policy, and has no sense of direction, just sits passively and watches opportunities passing by. Taiwan has lost steam and grown thinner. It is now reduced to a sick cat. Yes, this is correct.

In contrast with Taiwan's self destruction, policy errors, disorientation, and close-door policy, let us take a look at the viewpoints of Professor Ma on the economic performance of the Chinese mainland.  The contrast of the two makes the answer self-evident. While Taiwan is still engaged in internal fights, its external environment has become very different. Not only is time not on Taiwan's side, but also its future is making people deeply worried.

Professor Ma pointed out that over twenty years the mainland has broken away from the shackles of communism (which should mean their big rice-bowl mentality and egalitarianism?). China has found a shortcut to growth, hence changed its system and strength to make great progress and become the engine of global economic growth. The mainland has created an economic miracle and the size of this miracle is 60 times larger than Taiwan's. Can any person who has insight have a different view?

Professor Ma has concluded that after the second transfer of political power in Taiwan, the Ma Ying-jeou government found that two decades ago the sick cat huddled outside the door now has become a super-tiger that is feared by nations in the world. This happened while the government was just about going to change the policy and adjusting the direction to carry out its great plans apart from bringing order out of chaos and restoring peace. Taiwan has become a sick cat huddled in the corner. Since the times and environment have changed, the cross-strait balance of forces has shifted. This is the most realistic portrait of the situation.

Professor Ma and I agree that Taiwan has lost two decades of valuable time. We both share similar views that Taiwan's soft power of accumulated economic strength, democratic values, lifestyles, civil society, innovation and experience in development and modernization is still struggling for opportunities. Taiwan should regain its initiative via positive attitude and actively work on it to exert strength. Taiwan should engage in healthy competition with the mainland and turn this into a model. Its current efforts should in this direction. 

Simply put, from the perspective of mutual benefit and a win-win situation, compatriots on both sides are all Chinese people. If Taiwan cannot embrace bigger ambitions, vows to become active in the mainland of China, believes in itself to make contributions to the development of civilization and modernization of China's future, at least Taiwan should, from the perspective of self-interest, begin to grasp the opportunity of economic development in the mainland. Taiwan should not distance itself from China's future development. This should be, and must be the path to take. Right?