January 5, 2002
The Macao Special Administrative Region Government announces that it approves of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Center in Macao to handle issuance of Taiwan visas to local residents.
January 15, 2002
The Mainland's Taiwan Affairs Office releases a statement, under the name of Spokespersons of the Central Office for Taiwan Affairs and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, saying that Taiwan's intention to put "Taiwan" on its passports is an act of "creeping independence," and will increase the tension in cross-Strait relations and will cause Taiwan to eat its own bitter fruit.
January 24, 2002
A forum is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing in commemoration of the 7th anniversary of theproposal of Jiang's "Eight Points." State Council Vice Premier Qian Qichen expresses that "all should be firm in peaceful unification" and "one country, two systems," and reiterates that there is a difference between "the wide DPP membership" and "the stubborn independence advocates that constitute a few minority." The Mainland welcomes the former to visit and tour the Mainland in appropriate capacities.
January 28, 2002
The Mainland's Taiwan Affairs Office conducts a "National Conference of Taiwan Affairs Office Directors" in Beijing on the 28th to the 30th.
February 1, 2002
The PRC Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations, the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Communications, the Ministry of Agriculture jointly issue a notice to entirely suspend all cooperative projects with Taiwan involving the supply of manpower for fishing activities, including the supply of fishing manpower in inshore fishing.
February 4, 2002
The Mainland's ARATS establishes a representative office at the Macao Special Administrative Region and holds an opening ceremony.
February 26, 2002
PRC State Council promulgates the new regulations for directing foreign investments and categorizes the investment items of foreign businessmen in the Mainland into four types, namely, encouraged, permitted, restricted, and prohibited, starting on April 1. This new regulation will also apply to investors from Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macao doing business in the Mainland.
March 3, 2002
The 5th session of the 9th National People's Congress opens. PRC Premier Zhu Rongji makes the Government Work Report. On the portion of the "Taiwan Issue," the "one China" and the "three-sentences" are cited unprecedently.
March 27, 2002
The Vice Spokesperson of the Mainland's Taiwan Affairs Office Li Weiyi says at a press conference that the anti-dumping issue between both sides of the Strait is a "domestic affair," and there is no need for it to be negotiated under the framework of the World Trade Organization.
April 13, 2002
In an interview with reporters, Taiwan Affairs Office Assistant Director Zhang Mingqing says that after the accession to the WTO, both sides of the Strait should consider cross-Strait exchanges as domestic affairs, in order to broaden the space for development. The Mainland is now cutting down customs duty in accordance with the guidelines of the WTO, and this provides excellent conditions for the entry of goods from the Taiwan area into the Mainland.
May 12, 2002
The Mainland's Xinhua News Agency publishes a signed article hinting on "whoever started the trouble should end it" in response to President Chen Shui-bian's statement at Tatan Island.
May 21, 2002
The Mainland's Taiwan Affairs Office Director Chen Yunlin says through the Xinhua News Agency that the Mainland welcomes Taiwan's industrial, commercial, and transport sectors, and hopes that they will obtain the authorization of the Taiwanese Government as soon as possible to proceed to the Mainland to engage in negotiations on the cross-Strait "Three- Links," so that both sides can implement the direct "Three- Links" as soon as possible.
June 24, 2002
The Mainland's Taiwan Affairs Office Deputy Director and ARATS Vice Chairman Li Bingcai points out and says that the Mainland side will carry on the principles of "one China, direct two-way, and reciprocity and mutual benefit" in the promotion of cross-Strait "Three-Links." At present, as long as the "Three-Links" are considered "internal affairs within a country," then cross-Strait negotiations between civilian organizations, industries, and companies will be passed and linked up.
June 25, 2002
In a meeting with Legislator John Chang and others, the Mainland's Taiwan Affairs Office Director Chen Yunlin says that as long as the "Three-Links" are referred to as "domestic routes within a country," they will be applicable to air transport and sea transport. The "Three- Links" will commence just as well. Moreover, as long as Taiwan's DPP retain the Taiwanese independence clause in its party platform, it will be impossible for the Mainland to hold party-to-party talks with the DPP.
July 5, 2002
In meetings with the members of the "San-san Group" and the visiting delegation of the political reform group "Mountain," PRC Vice Premier Qian Qichen says that the cross-Strait "Three-Links" are an economic issue. As long as the "Three-Links" are considered "internal affairs within a country," the "Three-Links" can be implemented as soon as possible. The matter may not involve political significances of the "one China."
August 1, 2002
PRC State Council promulgates the "Regulations for Foreign Businessmen Investing in the Civilian Aviation Sector," stipulating that companies, enterprises, and other economic bodies or individual persons from the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao and from the Taiwan area who have investments in the Mainland's civilian aviation sector will need to handle matters according to its regulations.
August 15, 2002
At a press conference, the Mainland's Taiwan Affairs Office Spokesperson Li Weiyi releases his reaction-statement on "Chen Shui-bian's Advocacy of Taiwanese Independence" expressing that opposing the Taiwanese independence groups' dividing the country and working for the realization of the unification of the country are the firm and unchangeable positions of the Mainland. The Mainland will never allow anybody to take Taiwan away from "China" in any way. It warns the "Taiwanese separatist forces" not to incorrectly assess the situation, and to rein in the horse in time and stop all separatist activities.
September 25, 2002
At a press conference, the Mainland's Taiwan Affairs Office Spokesperson Zhang Mingqing says that the Falun Gong transmitted satellite signals from the Taiwan area, which have interfered with the Mainland's existing satellites and thus affected the broadcast of Mainland TV programs. If the Taiwan authorities do not take measures in immediately investigating the attacks of the Falun Gong in Taiwan against Mainland satellites, they will make it even more difficult to deal with cross-Strait relations which are currently in difficult times.
October 8, 2002
At the "Conference for Reporting the Achievements on Reform and Liberalization and Modernization Building Since the 4th Plenary Session of the 13th National Party Congress" where the PRC MOFA Minister Tang Jiaxuan issues the report on the "Glorious Course of China's Cross-Millenium Foreign Relations," he says that one of the achievements of the Foreign Affairs Ministry in the past five years was the failure of Taiwan to enter the United Nations and the WHO.
October 16, 2002
In a meeting with the visiting delegation of the United News Agency at the Zhongnanhai, PRC Vice Premier Qian Qichen states that the "Three-Links" are links between both sides of the Strait, and thus are an economic issue, not a political issue. There is no need to acknowledge a "one China" first before the "Three-Links" can be implemented. The cross-Strait transportation links are supposed to be a special means. The Mainland side cannot mention it as "special domestic routes." Then we shall call it "cross-Strait routes."
October 18, 2002
Li Jiansheng, Deputy Director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of PRC Ministry of Communications, says that the Ministry will strictly implement the "Management Guidelines for Cross-Strait Shipping" starting this week. It will prohibit shipping companies not registered on both sides of the Strait from operating cross-Strait shipping without prior approval.
October 30, 2002
At a regular press conference, Taiwan Affairs Office Spokesperson Li Weiyi says that the technical negotiations of the cross-Strait "Three-Links" need not involve the significance of "one China." However, the nature of cross-Strait routes is not "international" or "state-to-state."
November 8, 2002
The Mainland's General Secretary Jiang Zemin makes his political report on "Build a Well-off Society in an All-Round Way and Create a New Situation in Building Socialism with Chinese Characteristics" at the 16th Communist Party Congress. The part on Taiwan policy mentions for the first time the new three-stage theory of the principle of "one China."
December 2, 2002
At an impromptu press conference, the Mainland's Taiwan Affairs Office Spokesperson Zhang Mingqing announces the newly revised "Regulations Concerning Taiwanese Journalists Coming to the Mainland to Cover News Reports" which grants comprehensive authority to local governments in handling and reviewing applications of Taiwanese journalists to cover news reports in the Mainland. At the same time, it also simplifies the application procedures for Taiwanese reporters in obtaining "coverage certificates."
December 3, 2002
At a breakfast co-hosted by the Asia Society and Council on Foreign Relations, PRC Ambassador Yang Jiechi says in a speech on "China-US Relations in the new century" that the Mainland's deployment of missiles targeted against Taiwan is a matter involving national security, and should be understood and supported by the US.
December 8, 2002
The China News Agency reports that following the Fujian Normal University and the Fujian College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, six other colleges and universities in Fujian Province (including the Xiamen University, Jimei University, Fuzhou University, Fujian Agriculture and Forest University-to be renamed Fujian Technological University, Fujian Medical University, and HuaQiao University) have been granted approval by the Mainland's Education Ministry to enrole Taiwanese students separately.
December 9, 2002
The Information Office of PRC State Council releases the white paper on "China's National Defense in 2002." The portion on cross-Strait relations emphasizes that the Mainland will strive for prospects of peaceful unification with the utmost sincerity and the maximum effort but will not forswear the use of force. At the same time, China's armed forces have the decision as well as the capability to defer any separatist activity.
December 31, 2002
Shenzhen City implements the "Guidelines of Shenzhen City for the Issuance of Mainland Entry Documents for Taiwanese Residents" simplifying the application procedures for Taiwanese compatriots traveling to Shenzhen.