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- Pubic opinion surveys showed that the MAC's publicity campaign for the second “Chiang-Chen Talks” was an all-out effort and an effective one; the MAC feels astonished and regretful that the Control Yuan now proposes corrective measures for the MAC
- Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu’s application to travel to mainland China to promote tourism and the Kaohsiung World Games has been approved by the Ministry of the Interior; it is Mayor Chen that should explain what kind of credentials was held by her
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MAC Regular Press Briefing
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Briefer : Johnnason Liu, Deputy Minister
Date : May 21, 2009
Location : Taipei |
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Pubic opinion surveys showed that the MAC's publicity campaign for the second “Chiang-Chen Talks” was an all-out effort and an effective one; the MAC feels astonished and regretful that the Control Yuan now proposes corrective measures for the MAC
QUESTION: On May 20, 2009, the Control Yuan issued a press release saying the MAC's overall publicity and communications campaign regarding the second Chiang-Chen Talks had been insufficient and proposed corrective measures. What is the MAC's response to this?
DEPUTY MINISTER LIU:
■ With regard to the Control Yuan's request that corrective measures be taken for “Operation Concord,” this has to do with the maintenance of public order and security during the visits to Taiwan of the delegation led by “Mainland-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS) Chairman Chen Yunlin.” Maintaining public order and security does not fall within the competence or job responsibility of the MAC. The MAC feels astonished and regretful that the Control Yuan now proposes corrective measures for the MAC based on the reason that an insufficient publicity campaign was detrimental to carrying out the responsibility for maintaining public order and security.
■ When the MAC was planning the second “Chiang-Cheng Talks,” a publicity plan for negotiations was made and followed. This included: pro-active briefings for both ruling and opposition party members, the Legislative Yuan, experts and scholars, and foreign envoys. In addition, the MAC drafted publicity materials and sent them to relevant government agencies and the public, and used media interviews, press conferences and seminars to explain the content of the materials to actively forge a domestic consensus. According to the data from public opinion survey conducted last year on November 9 following the Talks, 70% of the public supported cross-strait institutionalized negotiations, while close to 80% approved the four agreements signed at the Talks. This serves to show that the MAC's publicity campaign for the second “Chiang-Chen Talks” was an all-out effort and an effective one.
QUESTION: With regard to the Control Yuan’s request that the corrective measures should be taken by the MAC, when the Control Yuan members met with and questioned SEF Chairman Chiang Pin-kung, he stated that when Taiwan made application to join the WTO, seen from his experience with the legislature and the media, the MAC's communication on this issue with the outside world and the opposition party was really insufficient. Does the MAC believe Chairman Chiang is telling the truth?
DEPUTY MINISTER LIU:
■ Taiwan's entry into the WTO was a ten-year process. The environment of the second Chiang-Chen Talks cannot be mentioned in the same breath.
■ The SEF's written report mentions “room for improvement.” This expressed the hope that in doing things in the future there could be some improvement. It was certainly not a criticism of the second Chiang-Chen Talks. On the contrary, its intention was to use the experience of this round of talks to set down a better foundation for future cross-strait talks.
■ As for the questioning of Chairman Chiang, the Control Yuan held a separate session. (During one session held for the MAC beforehand, I accompanied MAC Minister to attend the hearing on that day.) Chairman Chiang, however, was subsequently questioned a second time, thus we do not have a full understanding of what Chairman Chiang said during all of his questioning.
Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu’s application to travel to mainland China to promote tourism and the Kaohsiung World Games has been approved by the Ministry of the Interior; it is Mayor Chen that should explain what kind of credentials was held by her
QUESTION: Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu decided to leave for mainland China on May 21 to promote the Kaohsiung World Games. Could you tell us when she submitted her application to the MAC? Mayor Chen has said that for this trip she is not carrying a Taiwan Compatriot Certificate and that the trip is based on the principles of equality and dignity. What is the MAC's view on this?
DEPUTY MINISTER LIU:
■ When it comes to Mayor Chen's trip to mainland China, it was on May 11 that Mayor Chen filed an application to the National Immigration Agency. At the current time city mayors and county magistrates who intend to visit the Mainland Area should submit an application to the National Immigration Agency under the Ministry of the Interior. Mayor Chen's trip begins May 21when she goes to Beijing. On May 23 she will arrive in Shanghai. She will return to Taipei on May 24. So Mayor Chen is following her itinerary as submitted to the NIA.
■ The Executive Yuan last year lifted restrictions so that special municipality mayors as well as city mayors and county magistrates could, with permission, travel to mainland China to engage in exchange activities relevant to tasks under their responsibilities. Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu's travel to mainland China to promote Kaohsiung tourism and the Kaohsiung World Games conforms with the regulations. On May 18 the MOI review committee approved this travel to mainland China.
■ With regard to Mayor Chen's having received courtesy customs clearance on this visit, the MAC is currently trying to get an understanding of this.
QUESTION: With regard to Kaohsiung mayor's visit to mainland China, Mayor Chen Chu mentioned she entered mainland China with a courtesy customs clearance based on the APEC model. Can the MAC explain this?
DEPUTY MINISTER LIU: According to the current review and approval process undertaken by the government agencies regarding applications by personnel to travel to the Mainland Area, there is no requirement that the applicant explain how he or she will travel. As far as we understand, entering and exiting the country can be done in accordance with the following models: (1) There must be credentials, such as a passport or a permit issued by both sides of the Taiwan Strait. (2) There are also exceptional cases, such as for international organizations or international activities where an invitation is frequently used as a credential. But the practice is that only when there is an international activity or international organization issuing an invitation does this issue come up. As to actually what methods Mayor Chen Chu used to enter mainland China, this is better left up to the Mayor to give a full explanation. Because the MAC has not seen any information on this or has not helped the Mayor in any way, it does not know what documentation she presented.
QUESTION: As for the two original purposes for Mayor Chen's trip to the Mainland, one was to receive an award and the other was in reference to promoting the World Games. The MAC has just said the Mayor's trip has not changed. Does this refer to no change in the timing of the trip or no change to the trip itself? The trip to the Mainland planned by Mayor Chen and the actual trip do not jibe. How is the MAC handling this?
DEPUTY MINISTER LIU:
■ Among the documents presented by Mayor Chen Chu when she applied for the trip to the Mainland was an application letter that explained two purposes—one being the marketing promotion of the World Games and promotion of Kaohsiung City and the other being the possibility of accepting an award—but judging from the proposed schedule, we find that from May 21 to 24, a marketing showcase meeting for Kaohsiung, marketing promotion of the World Games, and a banquet were the only listed items. The other parts of the schedule were just filled with visits and inspection tours. There was no concrete explanation of when an award would be received or whether there would be visits and inspection tours. As we understand it, when the NIA first received this official document it made a verbal inquiry of those in charge of the trip, but the Kaohsiung municipal government said that because the schedule was not yet set, they were only filling in “visit, inspection tour.”
■ With regard to Mayor Chen’s Mainland trip, so long as there is no change in her main itineraries—the marketing promotion of the World Games and promotion of Kaohsiung City, this does not run counter to the relevant regulations. Regarding whether or not she will receive an award, the NIA might very well get some further understanding on this.