Date: March 15, 2017
MAC Press Release No. 20
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) today (March 15, 2017) stated in regards to comments made by the mainland Chinese side at a press conference after a National People's Congress session that maintaining the status quo of peace and stability in cross-Strait relations corresponds with the common interests of both sides and the international community. It also has been the consistent policy of the government of the Republic of China (ROC) since May 20 last year. The government's position will not waver due to any change of situation. Facing the objective fact of the differences between the systems and development history of the two sides, mainland China should look squarely at reality and fully respect and understand that democracy and public opinion are at the core of governance in Taiwan. This would be beneficial to developing constructive cross-Strait relations and creating a favorable environment for reform and innovative development on the two sides.
The MAC emphasized that the happiness of the people is a yardstick of government administration. It called on mainland China to show wisdom, patience, and focus, as well as to discard the inertia of determining the future direction of cross-Strait relations based on political preconditions. The two sides need to work together to "set aside differences to seek common ground" and find ways to solve difficult problems in order to create space for possible bilateral cooperation. The government is willing to seize this historic opportunity with the other side and, through sincerity and goodwill treatment, communication, and dialogue, to control differences and risk, reduce misjudgment and misunderstanding, enhance the happiness of the people on both sides, and work to usher in a new era of cross-Strait harmony and prosperity.