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- Taiwan’s participation in WHA and the signing of an ECFA are not listed in agenda of th eThird Chiang-Chen Talks
- Cross-strait negotiations on the establishment of a military confidence-building mechanism require the accumulation of mutual goodwill and trust
- Cross-strait trade and economic interaction requires comprehensive considerations; the MAC will continue to promote convenience and enhancement of cross-strait transport
- MAC Deputy Minister Fu Don-Cheng travels to Hong Kong to conduct regular inspection visits to Hong Kong Affairs Bureau
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MAC Regular Press Briefing
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Briefer : Johnnason Liu, Deputy Minister
Date : March 12, 2009
Location : Taipei |
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Taiwan’s participation in WHA and the signing of an ECFA are not listed in agenda of the Third Chiang-Chen Talks
QUESTION: The Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) will not be included in the agenda of the Third Chiang-Chen Talks, but it can be taken up in the dialogue. Could you elaborate on the scope of the dialogue? Will the contents be made public? Will the consensus be binding?
DEPUTY MINISTER LIU: At present the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) is extensively collecting public opinion on the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA). MOEA officials are also studying this issue. In the process of cross-strait negotiations, if both sides are willing, they can exchange views, which can serve as a reference in their respective handling of their policies on this issue. However, this issue has not been included in the agenda of the Third Chiang-Chen Talks.
QUESTION: Wang Yi, director of mainland China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, indicated yesterday that Taiwan can discuss with the Mainland side on Taiwan’s participation in the World Health Assembly (WHA) and the ECFA issue, as long as this will not result in “one China, one Taiwan” or “two Chinas.” Will Taiwan engage in discussions under the same preconditions?
DEPUTY MINISTER LIU:
■ Participation in international activities is the common expectation of the Taiwanese people. The government has also formed a special task force to actively make efforts to participate in the World Health Assembly (WHA). We hope that both sides of the Strait will continue to remain firm in the spirit of “shelving controversies and expressing mutual respect” and that the Mainland side will extend the ideal of peaceful development to cross-strait interaction in the international arena, in order to demonstrate wisdom, establish mutual trust, and achieve cross-strait co-existence and co-prosperity. Only then will this positively impact the institutionalized negotiations between both sides.
■ The four issues that have been authorized for negotiations are the result of the consensus achieved between the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) and the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS). However, Taiwan’s participation in the WHA is not within the scope of the negotiations to be carried out at the Third Chiang-Chen Talks.
QUESTION: With regard to Taiwan’s participation in the WHA, you just mentioned that it will not be in the scope of the negotiations at the Third Chiang-Chen Talks. But will it be included in the Third Chiang-Chen Talks agenda, just like the ECFA issue, or will discussions and dialogue concerning the WHA be engaged in through other channels?
DEPUTY MINISTER LIU: I would like to reiterate that Taiwan’s participation in the WHA has not yet been included in the agenda for the negotiations between the SEF and the ARATS. However, in the First Chiang-Chen Talks, SEF Chairman Chiang Pin-kung already at several important occasions fully expressed our policy stance on Taiwan’s space in the international arena and its participation in international activities, although this was not listed as one of the items to be discussed between the SEF and the ARATS.
QUESTION: During a question-and-answer session held today at the Legislative Yuan, MAC Minister Lai Shin-yuan indicated that the Ministry of Economic Affairs is preparing an industrial assessment report on the ECFA, and the Research, Development, and Evaluation Commission will also carry out a public opinion survey on this issue. Before signing the ECFA, what other procedures have to be completed?
DEPUTY MINISTER LIU: It is the MOEA that is responsible for the planning of the ECFA. As such, we will relay related opinions to the MOEA so that it can make a public explanation.
Cross-strait negotiations on the establishment of a military confidence-building mechanism require the accumulation of mutual goodwill and trust
QUESTION: Under the diplomatic truce, is it possible for retired veterans on both sides of the Strait to carry out academic exchanges on the establishment of a military security mutual trust mechanism?
DEPUTY MINISTER LIU:
■ In terms of the scope and the participants, cross-strait exchanges have long been classified into professional exchanges and ordinary social exchanges. The travel of Taiwan’s retired veterans to the Mainland Area has also been carried out under such a regular mechanism. This has to be distinguished from cross-strait military exchanges.
■ The fundamental basis for the setting up of a military confidence-building mechanism across the Strait through cross-strait negotiations will hinge on whether or not there is goodwill and mutual trust between both sides of the Strait. When it comes to negotiating on such a mechanism, we believe that it would be proper if we study and promote this issue after a significant degree of mutual trust has been achieved in cross-strait relations. Currently, the purpose of Taiwan and the Mainland in handling their economic and cultural exchanges and negotiations is to gradually accumulate mutual trust.
■ As Taiwan already took the initiative in declaring the termination of the Period of National Mobilization for the Suppression of the Communist Rebellion in 1991, it has extended goodwill to the Mainland. To achieve peaceful development in cross-strait relations, we hope that the Mainland side will also take the initiative in demonstrating its goodwill toward the maintenance of cross-strait peace and security. This will be greatly conducive to accumulating mutual trust between both sides of the Strait.
Cross-strait trade and economic interaction requires comprehensive considerations; the MAC will continue to promote convenience and enhancement of cross-strait transport
QUESTION: Lu Zhangong, secretary of the Fujian Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, indicated that a high speed rail from Xiamen to Kaohsiung will be constructed and future planning for an “Economic Zone along the West Coast of the Taiwan Strait” will also commence. What is the MAC’s comment?
DEPUTY MINISTER LIU:
■ Both sides have exerted great efforts in increasing the convenience of transport and travel between both sides of the Strait, and substantial progress has been achieved in sea transport and air transport. Both sides have also started discussions on the “regular flights” as a preparation for the Third Chiang-Chen Talks. We believe that this will provide more convenience for personnel contact and exchanges between both sides of the Strait. These pave a positive foundation for the improvement of cross-strait transportation.
■ With regard to mainland China’s proposal to establish an “Economic Zone along the West Coast of the Taiwan Strait,” since Taiwan and mainland China will give comprehensive consideration to cross-strait trade and economic exchanges, scholars might discuss whether or not there is the need to formulate a plan to promote such a scheme. We believe that Taiwanese businessmen have already engaged in comprehensive and frequent business interactions in the Mainland. As such, mainland China should focus its relevant policies on offering assistance to Taiwanese businessmen with a view to guaranteeing a better investment environment for them. We believe that this will truly be beneficial to the development of cross-strait trade and economic exchanges.
■ As for the construction of a railway to link both sides, I think that the most urgent task at present is to shorten the psychological distance between both sides. Of course, mainland China can go ahead with their plans, but we also have our own plans. With regard to the proposal brought forth by the Mainland side, we do not have other comments.
QUESTION: President Ma Ying-jeou has once been concerned about the progress of the planning of the Jindeng Bridge. What is the current progress?
DEPUTY MINISTER LIU:
■ On August 23 of last year, after listening to the briefing presented by the Kinmen County Government on the construction of the Jindeng Bridge, President Ma Ying-jeou indicated that aside from involving issues related to transportation convenience, such a bridge would also have a bearing on the impact on the local economic development and the investment environment. Therefore, he directed the Council for Economic Planning and Development (CEPD) to conduct an assessment and hoped that this would be completed before the end of last year.
■ We understand that during the process the CEPD entrusted a team of scholars to conduct an assessment on this matter. However, the assessment was not completed before the end of last year. Hence, President Ma Ying-jeou inquired about the progress of the evaluation report early this year. Of course, unlike rumors that you may have heard, President Ma has never issued a directive to construct the said bridge. According to our understanding, the CEPD’s current recommendation was a result of its assessment, which suggested such a bridge should not be built.
MAC Deputy Minister Fu Don-Cheng travels to Hong Kong to conduct regular inspection visits to Hong Kong Affairs Bureau
QUESTION: Is it true that MAC Deputy Minister Fu Don-cheng has recently visited Hong Kong in a very low-key fashion? Did he meet with key officials of the Taiwan Affairs Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region?
DEPUTY MINISTER LIU: Deputy Minister Fu Don-cheng is responsible for overseeing Hong Kong and Macao affairs. He set off on March 10 and returned to Taiwan on March 11. It was a purely regular inspection visit to the Hong Kong Affairs Bureau. Meeting with mainland Chinese officials was not on his itinerary.