The Puzangalan Children's Choir, whose members are Aboriginal students from Taiwan, was scheduled to perform in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province on July 20. But the invitation was reportedly rescinded by Guangzhou after the choir performed at the inauguration of Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen on May 20, where it combined the "national anthem" with traditional Paiwan tunes.

The cancelation was hyped by Taiwan's pro-independence camp as a suppression of these students. The choir executive said it hurt the children and cost the choir some income that they had planned to use to travel to a singing competition in Hungary. Tsai pledged NT$500,000 ($15,450) to the choir and called for more donations.

The incident was hyped up by the pro-independence forces to arouse controversy. But the truth turns out to be different. Over the years, the Chinese mainland has been tolerant of elements involving the "Republic of China" and cross-Straits understanding has been expanding based on the 1992 Consensus. But after taking office, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has rejected publicly recognizing the 1992 Consensus and often made small pro-independence moves, which unsettles the basis for mutual trust and damages the climate for cross-Straits exchanges.

The day of May 20 is considered by many as marking the revitalization of pro-independence forces and the choir's performance that day was eye-catching. The arrangement spurred an exploration into its political intent and hence poses a conundrum to Guangzhou as to whether it should let the choir perform in the city. The cancelation was instantly used by the pro-independence forces to instigate opposition within the island. But how would mainlanders feel if the choir was still invited to Guangzhou but then mainland media disclosed details of the May 20 performance?  

"Public opinion" is Tsai's mantra, but she and her team never mention mainland public opinion as if it does not exist. Mainlanders have supported preferential policies for Taiwan because they consider Taiwanese as compatriots. But as the DPP keeps fomenting antagonism against the mainland, mainland public opinion has been changing at the same time.

The DPP's rejection of the 1992 Consensus has disturbed the status quo of cross-Straits relations. The latest cancelation shows that public communication and exchanges may face great difficulties without political trust and the cross-Straits relations may be haunted by domino effect. 

Pro-independence forces had better stop their hypocritical wrangling with the mainland. While taking over the achievements after eight years of rule by the Kuomintang, the DPP however intends to abandon the political principles underlying these achievements. Is there any point in the DPP's move to describe its lack of public recognition for the 1992 Consensus as maintaining the status quo, but blames the mainland for changing the status quo?