With regard to the New Year’s Day address of President Chen Shui-bian that touches on cross-strait relations, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) makes the following elaborations:
Taiwan is a democratic and diverse society, wherein all the sectors of the society have the right to express their opinions. However, in facing China’s military and political threats and repression, Taiwan must have a consistent stance within itself. The President serves to balance the country’s diverse forces, while the Government serves as the impetus behind national unity. In the future, the Government will take more concrete measures to enable the people to achieve a consensus on related cross-strait issues and to actively push for unity within the country.
In the past year, we have on several occasions extended our goodwill to China, which have all been incorporated into the Government’s cross-Strait policy, including the Peace and Stability Framework for Cross-Strait Interactions proposed by President Chen Shui-bian on February 3, 2004 at an international press briefing, President Chen’s proclamation in his May 20 second inaugural address that peace and development shall serve as the basic orientation of our cross-strait policy, President Chen’s statement in his 2004 National Day address that the “1992 meeting in Hong Kong” shall serve as the foundation for resuming cross-strait negotiations, and his directive at a high-level national security meeting on November 10, 2004 that both sides of the Strait jointly establish a “Code of Conduct across the Taiwan Strait.” However, China has not made any positive response to these constructive proposals, and has instead intensified its verbal attacks against Taiwan. Recently, it has even proposed enacting an Anti-Separation Law in an attempt to change the status quo across the Taiwan Strait, which threatens regional security. We express our deep regret over this matter.
Based on the results of public surveys, the Taiwanese people on the one hand hope for peace and stability in cross-strait relations, and on the other hand they insist on their conviction to defend the sovereignty, security, and dignity of the country. The Government’s cross-strait policy is thus founded on these public opinions. President Chen Shui-bian stated that a Committee for Cross-Strait Peace and Development shall be convened after the elections, and this declaration will not change whatever the election results. Therefore, the President has also directed the agencies concerned to make related preparations. With regard to the President’s directives, the Mainland Affairs Council will consult with the various sectors together with the agencies concerned and gather their opinions on the manner and timing of convening this Committee, to serve as a reference for the President’s formal summoning of the Committee in the future.
Although the mainland Chinese authorities continue to engage in irrational repression of Taiwan in the diplomatic arena, the Government will adhere to the basic values of freedom, democracy, and human rights, and make continued efforts to promote foreign relations. Based on the results of our recent public surveys, there is an increasing proportion of people who believe that the development of cross-strait relations is equally important as the promotion of foreign relations. This also shows that the Taiwanese people have similar expectations toward the Government’s promotion of foreign relations. The Government is absolutely confident in further expanding and reinforcing Taiwan’s presence in the international arena.