- Economic integration becomes economic dependency
- Cultural and Linguistic integration blurs boundaries of identity and reinvigorates the 'great Chinese nation race'
- Legal integration cedes authority over Taiwanese citizens to both CCP and KMT hegemonic governments
- Political integration blurs issues of sovereignty and renders self-governance of Taiwan impotent as a symbol of independence on the global stage
- Military integration and joint border controls prevent other nations from driving a wedge between Taiwan and China
Stages 1-2 are well under way. If Ma or a KMT President gets elected in 2012 expect rapid (though ambiguously worded) advancement of stages 3-5.
Above all, this is not quantum mechanics but simple politics of nationalism, fear & insecurity, economic dominance and naval / military superiority. The writing is very clearly on the wall. Those who choose to ignore it out of 'pragmatism', defending the (shifting) 'status-quo', seeking win-win or refusing to believe it is happening will have a lot of explaining to do in the near future. What will the middle generation tell their kids I wonder? - "Sorry son, we gave up on Taiwan because we didn't have the courage of our fathers and mothers to fight for something we didn't know the value of" ....
