The itinerary for the Chiang-Chen Talks has been finalized and promptly
announced by the government, fully realizing the policy of high transparency in
cross-strait relations
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) and the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF)
indicated that, after two days of intensive discussions and arrangements between
the working groups of the SEF and the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan
Strait (ARATS), and following the arrival in Taiwan of the ARATS advance team, as
well as the arrival of ARATS Chairman Chen Yunlin in Taichung this morning (December
21), the itinerary for the Chiang-Chen Talks has been determined. The government
made a public explanation immediately after the schedule was finalized, fully realizing
the policy of high transparency in cross-strait relations, while also showing that
the government has not only adopted a highly mature, steady and paced approach in
dealing with the cross-strait negotiations, but it has also properly grasped the
situation. The itinerary during the period of the Chiang-Chen Talks is detailed
in the following attachment (See
Attachment 1).
In response to the opposition party's attempt to discredit the Chiang-Chen Talks
as a "black box operation," MAC Deputy Minister Chao Chien-min stated that the MAC,
Council of Agriculture, Ministry of Finance, and Ministry of Economic Affairs explained
the contents of the four issues to be discussed at the fourth talks to the media
on a regular weekly basis one month ago. The government also has publicly announced
progress in the cross-strait communications on related issues. In addition, the
MAC has requested that the heads of the competent authorities for the related issues
proactively report to Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-Pyng and the various party caucuses.
The MAC has also used a variety of channels to strengthen publicity and communication
efforts to make various sectors of society well-informed about the talks, thus ensuring
a high level of transparency.
Deputy Minster Chao emphasized that the support of parliament and public opinion
is a critical and indispensable factor to the successful operation of cross-strait
institutionalized negotiations. Based on the current foundation, the MAC will further
strengthen communications with various sectors of society in hopes of forging the
greatest consensus through tolerance and reconciliation. The MAC also hopes that
the various sectors of society in Taiwan can rationally and pragmatically regard
the government's promotion of cross-strait institutionalized negotiations between
the SEF and the ARATS.