Mainland Affairs Council - Press Release
September 15, 2004, No. 062
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) sternly refutes the PRC Taiwan Affairs Office’s repeated harping on the same old tune of “one China” in today’s (15th) press briefing in response to Taiwan’s participation in international activities and the name issue, as well as its unreasonable criticism of President Chen Shui-bian. The MAC reiterates that the Government has continued to transmit its goodwill since May 20, and has actively promoted the concrete proposals for the improvement of cross-Strait relations. It is regretted that the Mainland side has not played its part in expressing its goodwill, but has instead continued to set political preconditions in cross-Strait relations as an excuse to postpone negotiations on the “Three-Links,” and issues such as the relaxation to allow Mainland people to visit Taiwan for sightseeing. The Mainland engaged in grand-scale military exercises targeted at Taiwan, and at the same time, made use of rhetorics to oppress particular businessmen and artists from Taiwan. In the international arena, it has rudely replaced a painting of a Taiwanese student which was selected to be featured in a United Nations commemorative stamp for peace; it has pressured to have Taiwan’s publicity posters at the Athens Olympic Games removed, and it has unreasonably interfered in the First Lady Wu Sue-jen’s participation in the activities of the Athens 2004 Paralympic Games. These have seriously hurt the feelings of the Taiwanese people. This is the very root of the problem that is causing damage to cross-Strait relations and creating the hostile situation across the Taiwan Strait.
As to the Mainland tourists who collectively went missing in Taiwan, the MAC has not only reviewed the related management mechanism, but has also urged the Mainland authorities to face up to the social problem of countless people from the Mainland area entering Taiwan illegally. The Mainland should not foolishly pamper these people and shift the responsibility to others in handling this matter. The MAC points out that the stowaway issue has seriously affected the social order in Taiwan. As for the stowaway Mainland people arrested by Taiwan authorities, based on humanitarian considerations, the Taiwan side has provided them with proper care, and has demanded the Mainland side several times since March this year to take them back as soon as possible in accordance with the agreement and consensus reached by both sides. It was not only until recently that the Mainland resumed the repatriation of these stowaways. The Mainland side’s delay in carrying out the repatriations is entirely inconsistent with its declaration in the international arena that it puts importance on the basic human rights of its people.
Since the Government has clearly addressed the issues by making constructive proposals, including the creation of a Peace and Stability Framework for Cross-Strait Interactions, the MAC hopes that the Mainland will resume normalized cross-Strait communication and negotiations as soon as possible, and that the Beijing side will make a response, and join Taiwan in pursuing the highest welfare and interests of the people on both sides of the Strait.