Don't Start No Stuff, Won't Be No Stuff

PostGlobal asked the following question: "Should Taiwan hold a democratic vote on whether to declare independence from China, or do Taiwan's leaders have a greater responsibility to their people to avoid war?"

A vote on independence would be yet another imprudent action taken by President Chen and the Democratic Progressive Party in furtherance of shallow political goals. It seems like this is an attempt to boost approval ratings prior to Taiwan's presidential and legislative elections in 2008, using the Beijing Olympics as blackmail to prevent too strong a Chinese response. Chen is playing with fire, though, and a more wise leader might do well to focus on managing Taiwan's de facto independence, vibrant economy and self governance rather than causing international incidents and potential war. International support for Taiwan is conditioned on maintaining the status quo. If Taiwan changes the status quo, regardless of public support or democratic votes, it would likely face the consequences in infernal solitude (albeit amidst an impotent international outcry). Meanwhile, the enthusiasm for a victory next year by the opposition Kuomintang party continues to grow...