Liberty Times: Framing Peace Talks as Taiwan's Concession is Dangerous Cross-Strait Rhetoric

In this opinion piece, Liberty Times strongly refutes the notion that dialogue with Beijing should be contingent on Taiwan making concessions. The publication frames such a narrative as a perilous "cross-strait rhetoric" that dangerously misrepresents the pursuit of peace.

The editorial asserts that Taiwan's stance, as articulated by figures like Gu Liyuan and Hsiao Bi-khim, is clear: the nation does not need to choose between dialogue and deterrence. Instead, the core issue lies in ensuring that any engagement is built upon mutual respect and dignity, not on circumventing Taiwan's democratic mandate by seeking predetermined answers from unelected individuals.

Liberty Times underscores that deterrence is not provocation but a necessary condition for preventing coercion. The article criticizes the dangerous rhetoric that equates willingness to talk with an obligation to yield, or avoiding conflict with accepting Beijing's preconditions. Such framing, it argues, systematically weakens Taiwan's position.

Ultimately, the publication contends that Taiwan's true objective is to safeguard its right to speak and negotiate on the international stage, a right derived from the people's vote. It calls for Beijing to engage directly with Taiwan's democratically elected government rather than exploiting party-to-party exchanges to dictate Taiwan's responses. The piece concludes by rejecting the idea that self-weakening is a path to peace, advocating instead for dialogue rooted in strength and equal standing.