August 18, 2013
No. 63
Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Deputy Minister Chang Hsien-yao attended the 36th Annual Convention of the Taiwan Benevolent Association of America on August 17 (US Eastern Standard Time) and presented a keynote speech entitled "Current Status and Development of Cross-Strait Relations: Deepening Mutual Trust, Jointly Creating a Win-Win Outcome."
Deputy Minister Chang said that there are currently four major focuses in the ROC government’s cross-strait policy; the first is to pragmatically position cross-strait relations under the framework of the ROC Constitution; second, to usher in a new era of cross-strait peace based on the cross-strait status quo status quo of "no unification, no independence, and no use of force"; third, to establish a foundation cross-strait mutual trust by promoting institutionalized cross-strait negotiations; and last, to sequentially advance benign exchanges and promote institutionalized ties across the Taiwan Strait. Deputy Minister Chang also emphasized that the crucial key to peaceful and stable development of cross-strait relations is the " 1992 Consensus, whereby each side maintains its respective definition of one China." The "1992 Consensus" is the basis of cross-strait dialogue and is also the greatest consensus in the development of cross-strait relations.
Deputy Minister Chang told the participants that the two sides have signed 19 agreements through institutionalized cross-strait negotiations established under "the 1992 Consensus" and by adhering to the principle of "easy issues before difficult ones, urgent matters before non-urgent ones, and economic matters before political ones," and that these agreements have effectively resolved problems arising from cross-strait exchanges and interactions. With respect to the Cross-Strait Trade in Services Agreement signed at the recently held the Ninth Round of Cross-Strait High-Level Talks, Deputy Minister Chang emphasized that the competent authorities in Taiwan are conducting professional assessments and are communicating with the Mainland authorities under the principle of "maximizing benefits and minimizing impact" to secure Taiwan's best interests. As to the misunderstandings and misinformation raised among certain parties in Taiwan over the Trade in Services Agreement, Deputy Minister Chang also explained the government’s policy to the participants at the talk. He stressed that the signing of the Trade in Services Agreement will not lead to great influx of Mainlanders to Taiwan, neither will Mainlanders be allowed to obtain Taiwan identity card through investing in Taiwan, and that the Mainland will not use its capital advantage to take over Taiwan's local service industries.
Deputy Minister Chang closed by reiterating that the current three priority tasks of the government in promoting Mainland policy are to "broaden and deepen cross-strait exchanges", to "promote the establishment of reciprocal institutions between the Straits Exchange Foundation and the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits", and to "comprehensively review and amend the Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area." Deputy Minister Chang emphasized that future developments in cross-strait relations will be determined by the mainstream public opinion in Taiwan. He also expressed that future developments across the Strait may be focused on the deepening of economic and trade relations and strengthening of cross-strait mutual trust.
The activity was joined by overseas Chinese leaders and locals from across the United States. Deputy Minister Chang engaged in lively interactions and discussions with the overseas Chinese participants during the successful 40-minute event.