The combined forces of capital, trade and technology are quietly and unobtrusively changing people's way of life and patterns of thinking on both sides of the Taiwan Strait today. Driving forces These forces are driving China's historical process of modernization. It is estimated that in the second half of 2001, China and Taiwan will join the WTO in the same session. This will create favorable conditions for strengthening the economic and trade relations between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait and establishing a greater China economic sphere. There is no market in Taiwan for Jiang's eight points.
Circumstances are more powerful than people.
Taking economic cooperation and exchanges of science and technology as the vanguard and taking entry into the WTO as the stage, a model is currently being created to move forward gradually, interact harmoniously, enjoy mutual benefit and unify peacefully. This is a powerful force. I believe that the Beijing government should change its way of thinking. They should abandon their attempts to unify China by means of deception, threats or extortion and accept the way of thinking in which China is unified in the course of its historical process of modernization. Chris Wu is editor in chief of the China Spring and China Affairs magazines.