An Imagined Brotherhood: The Rhetorical Framework and Prospects for China–Taiwan Relations

Abstract

Current China–Taiwan relations are marked by a worrisome dynamic, as there is no convergence of rhetoric between the two sides. How can China and Taiwan build healthy relations given they disagree on many essential issues? More importantly, in what ways could the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of Taiwan come up with a new framework, despite its recent setback in Taiwan's 2018 mid‐term elections, to engage a rising China? There is an urgent need for a framework of interaction, especially as the DPP, the ruling party, emphasizes the centrality of Taiwan's sovereignty and democratic systems in contrast to an increasingly assertive China under Xi. Drawing on sources from China and Taiwan and current literature on international relations, this study lays out a roadmap that enables both sides to step back from rivalry and move toward mutual accommodation in Asia. This article sets forth a framework of brotherhood for China–Taiwan relations in which both sides maintain their political identities while preserving cultural affinity. It traces the development of official discourse between China and Taiwan, and provides a guideline for how to construct a rhetorical common ground: a family framework that can transform China–Taiwan relations into an imagined brotherhood. In turn, this article provides policy implications for the DPP, so it can proactively engage in political conversations with Beijing while maintaining space for rhetorical maneuvers.