Dialogues Between China and Taiwan Foreshadow Hope for the Region

He's a panda. She's a panda. On the inside, we're all just pandas. But some of us associate with different factions, and thus has arisen the Taiwan Strait conflict. One group of pandas just doesn't like the other group, and there's not much to be done about it. Or is there? In this article by the Xinhua News Network, Chinese and Taiwanese officials have agreed to come together in Southern China next week to discuss Strait relations. One impressive move that has already been made is the strong consideration of allowing the exchange of Taiwanese and Chinese college students. Hopefully these talks will result in real solutions and more permanent dialogue between the two factions.

This is significant, as, as we all learned in Iran and China in 1989, the college students are always those that affect the most change the most rapidly. Also, the China-Taiwan conflict has been raging on (mostly nonviolently) for many decade, and a solution to the issue would be a huge step indeed. With its western backing, I believe that Taiwan will remain a separate state, and hopefully China will realize this and cease incessantly waiting for Taiwan to come to its senses and join the Panda empire.