June 25, 2014
Mac News Release No. 058
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) today (June 25, 2014) stated
that the second Meeting between Heads of Cross-Strait Competent Authorities was
held today in Taoyuan, during which MAC Minister Wang Yu-chi welcomed Director Zhang
Zhijun of the Mainland's Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) and the two sides exchanged
views on important issues related to cross-strait relations. Minister Wang stated
that the Mainland should squarely face the fact of 65-year separate governance across
the Strait and face each other pragmatically. The exchange visits between heads
of cross-strait competent authorities are results of interaction adhering to the
principle of "shelving disputes and jointly creating a win-win outcome." Minister
Wang expressed hopes for the achievements to be further expanded and deepened through
joint efforts by both sides.
Minister Wang emphasized hopes for the Mainland side to understand
Taiwan's democratic constitutional system and political ecology, stressing especially
the current trend in Taiwanese society concerning civic awareness and civic movement
developments, as well as the expectations the Taiwanese people have placed on expanding
foreign trade in hope of seeking a way forward. It is also under this context that
the mainstream public opinion in Taiwan identifies with the government’s cross-strait
policy to steadily promote peaceful and stable development of cross-strait relations.
Regarding the highly concerned issue among the public of deciding
Taiwan's future, Minister Wang reiterated at the meeting the government's position,
which is to maintain the status quo of "no unification, no independence and no use
of force" under the ROC Constitution framework. The consensus of the Taiwanese people
is that the future of Taiwan future should be determined, in adherence to the ROC
Constitution framework, by the 23 million people of Taiwan; it is hoped that the
Mainland may respect the people’s voice. Zhang Zhijun also responded with the Mainland’s
views concerning this issue. After the two sides fully expressed their respective
positions, the MAC appealed to the Mainland to uphold the spirit of shelving disputes
and jointly creating a win-win outcome, to demonstrate more sincerity, and to pragmatically
and with priority handle issues such as people’s welfare, rights and interests.
Only by doing so may there be a new page for cross-strait relations.
Minister Wang indicated at today's meeting that since the official
launch of the liaison and communication mechanism between the MAC and the TAO in
February this year, communication has operated smoothly and the mechanism has contributed
to increasing understanding and reducing misjudgments. It has also facilitated the
smooth promotion of cross-strait affairs, enhanced benign development of cross-strait
relations, and advanced the institutionalization of official contacts across the
Strait. On this basis, the two sides will continue to pragmatically promote following
communication and contact.
The MAC stated that both sides also exchanged views on cross-strait
economic cooperation and regional economic integration. Minister Wang proposed at
the meeting that, upon the effect of the Trade in Services Agreement, the two sides
should promptly begin follow-up consultations according to Section 2, Article 8
on emergency consultations, Article 11 on exceptional measures, and Section 4, Article
19 on regular review under the Trade in Services Agreement. Director Zhang responded
positively to this. The two sides also agreed to actively arrange follow-up talks
on operational issues related to the Trade in Goods Agreement. Moreover, Minister
Wang emphasized that maintaining cross-strait travel quality, enhancing travel safety,
and promoting the sound and orderly development of cross-strait tourism industry
requires joint efforts by the two sides. He also expressed support for further expansion
of Mainland tourism visits to Taiwan.
At the meeting, Minister Wang reiterated Taiwan's hope to accede
to the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP), Regional Comprehensive Economic
Partnership Agreement (RCEP), and Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP). He
stated that this is an issue concerning Taiwan's survival and indicated that, if
Taiwan were to successfully begin negotiations with other countries on economic
and trade agreements, it would help increase the Taiwanese people’s confidence and
support in promoting cross-strait economic and trade liberalization.
With respect to the issue of humanitarian visit functions for
the reciprocal institutions of the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) and the Association
for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), the MAC pointed out that positive
progress has been made in recent operational discussions. At the meeting today,
both sides reiterated that humanitarian visits would be an important function of
the institutions and expressed a positive attitude to actively deliberate and handle
specific arrangements such as the implementation plan for humanitarian visits, and
code of conduct, guarantees and convenience measures for the reciprocal institutions.
Only by pushing forward follow-up operational discussions and inputting more dedication
to strengthen substantive services of the institutions may the institutions truly,
promptly and effectively serve the public.
On issues of futher facilitation for people’s exchange across
the Strait, such as allowing Mainland tourists to transit in Taiwan, the SEF and
the ARATS agreed at the second Cross-strait Agreement Result and Review Meeting
in late February this year to study feasible measures, and further agreed to arrange
the start of communication between relevant authorities on the issue today. The
MAC stated that allowing Mainland tourists to transit in Taiwan would help to enhance
the willingness of airlines on the two sides to permanently operate routes serving
relevant cities in the Mainland. It would also enhance local development in the
Mainland and the convenience of external air transport, as well as support the further
development of direct cross-strait transportation links.
During the meeting, the two sides also agreed to continue promotion
on cross-strait cultural, education, technology, and news exchanges, as well as
to encourage the grassroots public and young students on both sides to strengthen
exchanges to enhance awareness and understanding. Minister Wang also emphasized
that private cross-strait exchanges should still be spontaneously initiated by the
private sector so as to not restrict the diversity, vitality and abundant energy
of the private sector, while at the same time, also to fully demonstrate the dynamic
forces of the Taiwanese private sector in the exchange process.
The MAC stated that, at the 1992 Hong Kong talks, the Mainland
demanded a statement on the "one China principle" as a condition for holding negotiations.
The two sides were unable to reach a consensus then. In subsequent correspondence
between the two sides, the SEF proposed that "Each side could have its own verbal
interpretation . . . . of the 'one China' principle", whereby the ARATS expressed
their respect and acceptance of this proposal and thus, the two sides reached the
conclusion known as the "1992 Consensus." The MAC indicated that this consensus
represents the spirit and political wisdom of the two sides in "addressing realities
and shelving disputes," as well as an attitude of pragmatically resolving problems.
This is the crux of institutionalized cross-strait negotiations, interactions and
exchanges. In the future, the two sides should continue to promote mutually beneficial
cross-strait relations in adherence to this foundation.
Over the next three days, Zhang Zhijun will make related visits
to cities of New Taipei, Taichung and Kaohsiung. Minister Wang expressed hope that
this visit would help Zhang Zhijun to more deeply understand the Taiwanese people’s
way of life, experience the customs, diverse and exceptional vitality of Taiwan
in person, and thus come to fully appreciate the beauty of Taiwan. The MAC stated
that Minister Wang has invited Zhang Zhijun and members of the TAO visiting delegation
to a relaxed tea reception in Kaohsiung on the evening of June 27 for exchanges
with MAC colleagues.