May 23, 2015
No. 25
The Third Meeting between Heads of Cross-Strait Competent Authorities
was held today (May 23, 2015) in Kinmen County. During the meeting,
Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Andrew Hsia and Director Zhang
Zhijun of the Mainland's Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) exchanged views on
the current development of cross-strait relations and other important
issues. Both sides reiterated their unchanged determination and faith
in promoting peaceful and stable cross-strait developments. Minister
Hsia stressed that the two sides should cherish achievements brought by
cross-strait peace and prosperity over the past seven years and should
continue, on the basis of the "1992 Consensus," to address realities
and shelve disputes, steadily advance cross-strait relations, and
create more palpable achievements for the people.
Minister Hsia said that, during the
period when war clouds hung over the Taiwan Strait, Kinmen
was positioned as the frontline of cross-strait military confrontation,
hence bearing great significance in terms of the current status and
reality of separate governance across the Strait. The holding of the
current Meeting between Heads of Cross-Strait Competent Authorities in
Kinmen proves and gives prominence to the past seven years of major
shift across the Strait as an epitome of the past six decades, during
which the two sides moved from confrontation to reconciliation,
cooperation, and finally towards realizing peace. The MAC stressed that
the handling of major issues and setting of future development
directions across the Strait exists in “a turn of mind”, whereby both
sides should adopt more positive thinking. Sensitive and pressing
issues for both sides should be dealt with the utmost patience,
sincerity and wisdom; also, communication across the Strait must be
strengthened so as to gradually seek resolutions for differences, and
thus deepen and consolidate hard-won fruits of peace achieved over the
past seven years.
During the Third Meeting between Heads
of Cross-Strait Competent Authorities, the two sides exchanged views on
subjects of concern and reached the following conclusions:
Regarding institutionalized cross-strait
negotiations, the two sides will continue to push forward operational
consultations for SEF-ARATS institutionalized negotiation agenda issues
in hope to facilitate the holding of the Eleventh Round of High-Level
Talks. Regarding follow-up agreements to the ECFA, Minister Hsia
suggested for cross-strait competent authorities on both sides to
provide sideline assistance to facilitate the prompt holding of the
eleventh round of operational consultations for the Cross-Strait Trade
in Goods Agreement. The two sides agreed to continue active promotion
of cross-strait trade in goods negotiations and to coordinate
respective relevant departments to promptly reach a consensus. In order
to accelerate the progress of the trade in goods negotiation, Minister
Hsia proposed at the meeting for the TAO to assist coordination among
related departments in the Mainland to promptly show goodwill on the
conditions imposed in areas of concern to Taiwan, including the four
major industries (display panel, petrochemical, machine tool, and
automotive), small and medium enterprises, traditional industries and
agricultural products. Director Zhang said that in the
process of advancing normalized, institutionalized, and liberalized
cross-strait economic relations, the Mainland is willing to take the
lead in opening up to Taiwan and will open up to Taiwan with greater
intensity and depth.
On the issue of reciprocal establishment
of SEF-ARATS institutions, both sides will promptly convene the eighth
round of operational consultations after this meeting to pragmatically
handle issues of mutual concern and promptly complete negotiations on
the mutual establishment issue. Both sides understand that the safety
of the institutions and their staff must be guaranteed, relevant
competent authorities must be coordinated to complete respective
internal legal operations and supporting measures for notifications and
humanitarian visiting functions, and that the aim of the
institutions’establishment is to serve the people on both sides.
On the issue of Mainland tourist
transits in Taiwan, the two sides will work together to facilitate a
consensus in the first half of this year, actively coordinate relevant
departments to promptly implement the policy, and will consult on
further convenience measures for people’s exchanges across the Strait.
Moreover, the two parties also reviewed the implementation status of
the M503 route at the meeting.
Regarding the Asian Infrastructure
Investment Bank (AIIB) issue, Minister Hsia indicated at the meeting
that "dignified and equal" participation in the AIIB is the ROC’s
policy stance and principle; the future promotion and observation
indicators will be based on whether or not the AIIB charter corresponds
to ROC interests. The Mainland again welcomed Taiwan to participate in
the AIIB.
On issues related to Kinmen, the two
sides agreed to promptly sign a commercial contract for the diversion
of water from the Mainland to Kinmen and begin operations as soon as
possible. The relevant law enforcement authorities on both sides will
continue, through the liaison mechanism and enforcement platform of the
Agreement on Joint Cross-Strait Crime-Fighting and Mutual Judicial
Assistance, to strengthen advocacy and jointly crackdown on and
investigate illegal mining of sea sand and illegal fishing and other
circumstances in the Kinmen and Xiamen sea areas. The two sides also
agreed to discuss effective implementation solutions to jointly fight
illegal sand dredging and maintain cross-strait fishery order. In
addition, both sides placed high importance on customs clearance
problems for goods exported from the Kinmen and Matsu areas to the
Mainland. They will actively improve customs clearance facilitation
measures under the Mini Three Links so as to safeguard the rights and
interests of legitimate enterprises. The Mainland will also further
increase its quota of Mainland tourists visiting Kinmen and Matsu,
streamline application procedures, and announce related operational
rules in the near future.
The Mainland will increase its
assistance in and improve implementation of the "repatriation of major
economic criminals" Issue. The two sides will coordinate the relevant
law enforcement authorities on both sides and use the liaison mechanism
and enforcement platform of the Agreement on Joint Cross-Strait
Crime-Fighting and Mutual Judicial Assistance to continue active
coordination and pragmatic negotiation on the closely watched issue of
repatriation of major criminals. They will also work together to combat
major criminal activity and maintain cross-strait economic,
financial and social order so as to meet the expectations of society.
With respect to cross-strait exchanges
and cooperation in various fields, the two sides will continue to
strengthen medical care for Taiwanese and Mainland students, give more
attention and provide more care for their livelihood, and continue to
promote exchanges and interactions between colleges and universities on
the two sides. Furthermore, the two sides will continue to encourage
cross-strait exchanges and interaction in various fields. Through
cooperation and exchanges in the grassroots, youth, economic and trade
sectors, the two sides may share respective society development
experiences, increase mutual understanding and strengthen momentum for
peaceful and stable development of cross-strait relations.
Regarding public concerns over the
Mainland's recently announced draft National Security Law and
controversial joint statement with Belarus, Minister Hsia reiterated
Taiwan's solemn stance and delivered the reactions of Taiwanese society
at the meeting. He called for the Mainland to give greater
consideration to the Taiwanese people’s feelings and show more goodwill
in terms of security, dignity, and international participation issues
much concerned by the Taiwanese people. He said that this would be
beneficial to building public support for cross-strait development and
will increase momentum for peaceful developments across the Strait.
The normalized communication and liaison
mechanism between the MAC and the TAO was launched over a year ago.
Minister Hsia stated that this mechanism has been used to effectively
and pragmatically handle many important issues and has created a
positive atmosphere beneficial to peaceful development across the
Strait. In the future, the two sides should bring the pivotal role of
this mechanism into full play so as to actively clear away
communication problems and further broaden the scope of
institutionalized interactions.
The MAC stated that holding of the Third
Meeting between Heads of Cross-Strait Competent Authorities symbolizes
the continued forward progress of institutionalized cross-strait
relations, the deepening and normalization of official cross-strait
interactions, and the conviction of the two sides to jointly
maintain the development of peace across the Strait. During the
meeting, Minister Zhang also invited Minister Hsia to visit the
Mainland. The MAC stated that arrangements for Minister Hsia to visit
the Mainland would be made when the time is appropriate. TAO Director
Zhang and his delegation will tour Kinmen tomorrow and leave Kinmen by
boat tomorrow evening.