The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) indicated today (December 14, 2005) that according to the public opinion in Taiwan, the Taiwanese people fully hope to maintain peaceful and stable cross-strait relations. In addition, the Taiwanese people will further cherish their democratic values and Taiwan’s existing democratic system. They will also persist in the preservation of their national identity. In the future, the Taiwanese government will be committed to continue to promote its cross-strait policy based on the principle of "peace and development." However, with regard to the adoption of substantive measures to promote cross-strait exchanges and interactions, the government will remain open to various suggestions. It will promote such measures according to Taiwan's overall interests. We hope that China will not unilaterally or incorrectly interpret the Taiwanese people’s opinions.
The MAC also stated that the government's promotion of the constitutional re-engineering project is to deepen democracy in Taiwan, enhance good governance and increase administrative efficiency, promote social justice and equality, and enable Taiwan to become a modern state with a competitive edge. This is the normal approach adopted by all democratic countries worldwide. China's persistently biased, narrow, and suspicious attitude clearly shows a fear of democracy. It is also detrimental to the peace and development of cross-strait relations.
With regard to China's Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) Director Chen Yunlin’s application to lead a delegation to visit Taiwan, MAC emphasizes that this case is of fairly high political significance. When the application was first filed last month, the Taiwanese government clearly indicated that it could only be appropriately handled through formal cross-strait negotiations. However, as China has not made a positive response to date, this application naturally cannot be permitted. According to our understanding, the invitation was extended to China by the National Policy Foundation, which has filed an appeal with the Ministry of the Interior. The case has formally entered the phase of administrative relief. The related government agencies are handling the case according to the relevant regulations, and we will respect the decision made by the responsible authorities.