| Subjects: |
- It is hoped that mainland China will implement the relevant measures to offer substantial assistance to the Taiwanese businessmen in the Mainland
- Relevant regulations are available for handling the visits to Taiwan by mainland Chinese officials
- Cross-strait relations have significantly eased and improved, but maintaining national defense is a necessary responsibility
- Ministry of the Interior is handling the issue on whether the mainland Chinese real estate advertisements are illegal
- Public opinion will be collected in the process of studying and deliberating on the ECFA
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MAC Regular Press Briefing
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Briefer : Johnnason Liu, Deputy Minister
Date : March 5, 2009
Location : Taipei |
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
QUESTION: Mainland Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao made remarks on cross-strait relations at mainland China’s National People’s Congress (NPC). What is the MAC’s response?
DEPUTY MINISTER LIU:
■ Cross-strait relations at this moment have significantly eased and improved, and this has been generally affirmed by the Taiwanese people and the international community. On the basis of “the shelving of controversies, mutual non-denial, and pursuing a win-win solution,” both sides must continue to jointly create a new era of peace and prosperity in cross-strait relations through positive interaction.
■ The Republic of China is an independent sovereign country. Under the current constitutional framework of the Republic of China, it maintains the cross-strait status quo of “no unification, no independence and no use of force.” Through the cross-strait institutionalized interaction channel and based on the principles of “equality and dignity,” it promotes the negotiations of relevant issues.
■ Regarding the issues on cross-strait politics and military affairs, the MAC believes that the improvement and easing of cross-strait relations have greatly contributed to peace across the Taiwan Strait, in the region and in the world. The international community has also clearly expressed its appreciation to this development. As for the various political issues, they will be discussed and promoted once a significant level of mutual trust has been achieved in cross-strait relations. At the same time, they must also obtain internal consensus within their respective societies. The MAC calls on the mainland Chinese authorities to express goodwill for Taiwan’s participation in international activities and to eliminate the military threats directed at Taiwan, so that both sides could jointly pursue the ideals of peaceful and prosperous development, extend this to every aspect in cross-strait interaction, and finally establish a foundation of mutual trust.
■ With regard to the strengthening of cross-strait economic cooperation and the joint handling of the financial crisis as indicated in mainland China’s government work report, the MAC believes that mainland China is also facing structural problems in its developmental process, which needs to be solved. We hope that both sides will promote cross-strait trade and economic exchanges and interaction in a gradual and orderly manner on the existing foundations, so that both sides could peacefully coexist and prosper together.
It is hoped that mainland China will implement the relevant measures to offer substantial assistance to the Taiwanese businessmen in the Mainland
QUESTION: Mainland Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao indicated at mainland China’s National People’s Assembly that “financial loans shall be provided to qualified Taiwanese businessmen in the Mainland.” The Mainland authorities will propose preferential measures to Taiwan during the sessions of the NPC and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). What information do you have on the implementation of these preferential measures and the assistance extended to the Taiwanese businessmen? Do you have the actual figures reflecting the number of Taiwanese businessmen who have obtained financial loans from mainland China?
DEPUTY MINISTER LIU:
■ With regard to demand for financial loans, Mainland-based Taiwanese businessmen have made such requests to the relevant mainland Chinese agencies through various mechanisms on several occasions. The relevant Mainland authorities have responded that a set of mechanisms for providing loans or assistance shall be implemented as soon as possible. However, these promises have probably not yet been fully materialized. We believe that currently, due to the huge impact of the global financial crisis and the severe business environment, the Mainland authorities must adopt more advantageous and feasible measures as soon as possible to provide a better operation environment for the Taiwanese businessmen facing such difficulties, so that the Taiwanese businesses will be able to better survive and develop in mainland China. These will ultimately pave a better foundation for the development of mainland China’s economy, for the improvement of cross-strait communications on various kinds of issues, and for the promotion of cross-strait relations.
■ Since Taiwanese businessmen’s applications will be processed by the financial institutions or the local governments in mainland China, we do not have any statistical data in this regard. Further understanding of related matters will be gained through the assistance of the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF).
Relevant regulations are available for handling the visits to Taiwan by mainland Chinese officials
QUESTION: Tang Shubei will visit Taiwan in the end of this month to participate in the Hakka Forum. Have his application documents been received? If Zhang Mingqing were to come to Taiwan to attend a court hearing, how will the government handle his entry application? Li Zaoxing indicated a desire to visit Taiwan. Will the MAC extend an invitation to him?
DEPUTY MINISTER LIU:
■ The list containing the participants of the Hakka Forum does not contain the details of Mr. Tang.
■ If requested by the local court to attend court hearings to help investigate certain criminal cases, Mr. Zhang Mingqing can apply to enter Taiwan based on the existing permit regulations formulated by the Ministry of the Interior.
■ Regarding the participants in cross-strait exchanges, the government welcomes them, whatever their personal status, to visit Taiwan to gain an understanding of the actual conditions in Taiwan. There are no restrictions stipulated in the laws. We hope that all the cross-strait exchange activities can be conducted in accordance with the regulations under the existing exchange mechanism.
Cross-strait relations have significantly eased and improved, but maintaining national defense is a necessary responsibility
QUESTION: Mainland China’s military budget has increased again by almost 15 percent. What is the MAC’s comment? How shall Taiwan counter such a situation?
DEPUTY MINISTER LIU: Relations between both sides of the Strait have markedly improved. I believe that this has gained the affirmation of the Taiwanese people and the international community. However, President Ma Ying-jeou has also reiterated that it is not only a must but also our responsibility to maintain our national defense capability. I believe that while trying to improve cross-strait relations, the government must at the same time continue to reinforce our national defense capability and to exert its efforts to ensure national security.
Ministry of the Interior is handling the issue on whether the mainland Chinese real estate advertisements are illegal
QUESTION: Will the MAC penalize the China Times Daily for illegally posting an advertisement concerning mainland Chinese real estate?
DEPUTY MINISTER LIU: Based on our understanding, the issue is now being handled by the competent authority, the Ministry of the Interior. In the past, the Ministry of the Interior has had experience in handling similar cases. This is the responsibility of the Ministry of the Interior, and I believe that it will make a public explanation properly after it has made further investigations.
Public opinion will be collected in the process of studying and deliberating on the ECFA
QUESTION: The Alliance of Referendum for Taiwan has protested against the signing of the ECFA between Taiwan and mainland China, calling for a public debate with MAC Minister Lai Shin-yuan and making an appeal for a public referendum before signing. What is the response of the MAC? Will the ECFA be signed between the Straits Exchange Foundation and the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait? Or will it be signed by Taiwan’s WTO representative office in Geneva?
DEPUTY MINISTER LIU:
■ The planning of the ECFA is now being handled by the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) and communications are also being conducted with the relevant industries. The government’s stance is that the public opinion will certainly be heard in the process of studying and deliberating on the ECFA.
■ The scope of the said ECFA includes commodity trading (taxable and non-taxable), service trading, investment protection, intellectual property rights, and economic cooperation. After the contents have been determined, further negotiations and communication will be carried out with mainland China. The MAC will render assistance to the MOEA for the completion of the relevant planning as soon as possible.
■ With regard to a public debate, only when the contents have been determined, will further discussions be conducted on the substantive details. In this way, we will be able to better protect the country’s overall interests and promote the globalization of Taiwan’s economy.
■ Whether a public referendum will be held or not, we can only conduct the discussions after the overall planning has been completed. Moreover, the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) is the only institutionalized negotiation channel authorized by the government. Therefore, all the relevant issues shall be handled by the SEF.