Tsai stranded on wrong side of history

It remains unknown how discomfited the Tsai Ing-wen administration felt the moment it learned of the latest basket of measures the Chinese mainland has unveiled to further economic and cultural exchanges across the Straits. However, while it is predictable that Tsai and her colleagues will heap scorn on the new measures, the warm response Wang Yang, head of the mainland's top political advisory body, received from Taiwan entrepreneurs when he announced the measures speaks volumes about the measures' pertinence.

Speaking to hundreds of Taiwan entrepreneurs at a cordial face-to-face meeting in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, on Monday, he unveiled 26 measures that encompass not only trade and investment, but also culture and sports.

This is the second batch of Taiwan measures Beijing has rolled out, after a package of 31 measures was announced in February last year. Although Tsai called those nothing but "bait" to lure Taiwan people to support reunification of the island with the motherland, they have had evident effects.