To Taiwan, with goodwill

The hardliners in the "green camp" curse it, citing it as yet another example of the Ma Ying-jeou administration's self-dwarfing act.

But the more pragmatic ones, both in the green and blue camps in Taiwan, see it as a major headway in the island's pursuit of international representation.

However people interpret it, one has to welcome Taiwan's presence as an observer at the 62nd session of the World Health Assembly (WHA). It reflects the length that cross-Straits ties have traveled since the Chinese mainland and Taiwan took the historic friendly steps last year.