The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) stated that since last year when Taiwan proposed the implementation of this year’s lunar new year chartered flights, President Chen Shui-bian and the government agencies concerned have repeatedly extended their goodwill. China finally made a positive response a few days ago. With regard to this, Taiwan is optimistic that China will immediately conduct pragmatic negotiations with Taiwan, to make proper arrangements for the smooth implementation of the lunar new year chartered flights.
The MAC stated that to improve cross-Strait relations, the Taiwan Government has continued to push ahead with concrete measures and proposals over the past four years. In his National Day address in autumn last year, President Chen Shui-bian directed the executive agencies to formulate the plans for cross-strait chartered flights for passengers and cargo, and expressed his hope that negotiations would be immediately conducted with China. On the next day, the Executive Yuan convened a meeting to address financial and economic matters, and a decision was made that cross-strait negotiations be immediately conducted to promote the policy of chartered flights that “are two-way, reciprocal, and do not have to stop in a third location.” On November 10, 2004, the President further instructed that the negotiations on chartered flights be conducted following the model adopted at the Taiwan-Hong Kong air route negotiations. At a briefing for the visiting legislative caucus of the Kuomintang (KMT) on December 28, the MAC also pointed out that if there is an actual demand from the Taiwanese businessmen in China, the MAC is willing to consult with the Taiwanese airline companies to consider Guangzhou, Beijing, and other new points of destination other than Shanghai, to enhance the services available to Taiwanese businessmen. After China made its positive response on January 3 this year, the MAC immediately decided to entrust the Taipei Airlines Association to assist in negotiating related matters. Right now, we are pleased that China has initially responded positively to Taiwan’s goodwill and proposals.
The MAC stated that the development of cross-strait relations have not yet been normalized and needs the joint assistance of the various sectors in pursuing the opportunities for gradually improving cross-strait relations. The MAC maintains an open and willing attitude toward the assistance rendered by the various sectors, including the facilitation of the chartered flights. On December 28, 2004 when the KMT legislative caucus expressed to the MAC that it intended to form a “visiting delegation for the lunar new year chartered flights” to Beijing, the MAC reiterated the same position. Today, as the KMT delegation returns to Taiwan expressing their intention to make a report on the information obtained during this trip, the MAC expresses its gratitude and will seriously listen to the contents of the report and incorporate them into the considerations for the final implementation.
The MAC pointed out that the chief authorities on both sides of the Strait are very clear that the final decision on the chartered flights rests on the representatives authorized to conduct the negotiations, thus fulfilling the goodwill and opinions toward each other. We hope that both sides could immediately conduct negotiations and make all the preparations under the principles of mutual respect and pragmatism.