Patriotism that lacks concern for the prospective patriots is ludicrous. It is impossible to seek brotherhood with compatriots while wielding a sword over their heads. As currently used, it is blatantly apparent that appeals made on grounds on nationalism are insincere at best. These careless acts of intimidation have become a popular bandwagon among communist officials as a means of consolidating popularity at home.

Though the communist regime desires to foster loyalty through these exhortations, which seem to be as directed toward mainland Chinese as they are against Taiwanese, the leaders themselves will not carry the burden of the possible consequences. It will be the true patriots who will suffer on the battlefield for these misguided machinations.

If conflict is to be avoided, there must be dialogue between the two sides. But talks will not be between two one-party systems, as it had been decades before. The recent election has ended the dominance of the Nationalist Party in Taiwan, which now fosters political pluralism, in stark contrast to the chokehold of the Chinese Communist Party on the mainland. If there are any residual notions of unbreakable cultural and historical ties between the two nemeses, Taiwan can very well serve as an example of the possibilities beyond autocratic regimes for communist China.

Beyond cultural ties, the points of confluence in terms of nationalism between mainland Chinese and their Taiwanese counterparts are few and increasingly tenuous. One of the few notable exceptions is the memory of Sun Yat-sen, founder of modern China, who is still revered by many on both sides. Though his influence has greatly declined in recent times, the government on Taiwan had publicly idolized him for years. If reconciliation is to be ever possible between the adversaries, perhaps they should revisit the principles promoted by this idealist, returning to the original hopes and dreams that were never fully realized.

Tzu-Huan Lo is a first-year in Lionel Hall. He was born in Taiwan.