MAC Chairman Jaushieh Joseph Wu: Actively Promote Negotiations on Day-to-Day Affairs to Resolve Cross-Strait Stalemate Based on the Successful Experience of the Lunar New Year Charter Flights
Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Chairman Jaushieh Joseph Wu indicated today (July 18, 2005) that when dealing with China’s rise, the Taiwanese government has not changed its guiding policy of “goodwill, active cooperation, and permanent peace.” The government has adhered to the principle of “peace and development” in pursuit of cross-strait dialogue. It will actively promote negotiations on cross-strait day-to-day affairs based on this year’s successful experience of the Lunar New Year charter flights. It is hoped that the international community will provide Taiwan with support for its determination and efforts.
Chairman Wu was invited to attend the Peace Forum International Conference-East Asian Security. He delivered a speech entitled “Cross-Strait Relations and East Asian Security” to discuss the current cross-strait situation as well as Taiwan’s role in cross-strait relations and regional peace and stability. .
Chairman Wu stated that China is facing serious internal social and economic difficulties. These problems include bad loans, high unemployment rate, graft and corruption, huge disparity between rich and poor, and the “three agricultural issues” (agriculture, rural areas and farmers). These are all urgent problems that the Chinese leaders must solve. When facing serious internal problems, Chinese leaders are usually inclined to take measures to restrict the opinions of different ideologies and control the media. They may also resort to nationalism to divert attention away from domestic resentments. Chairman Wu indicated that China’s problems must be addressed under peaceful and stable regional situations. Under such circumstances, Taiwan’s policies for handling cross-strait issues become extremely important. Countries such as the U.S. and Japan also play critical roles in this regard.
Chairman Wu further indicated that since the beginning of this year cross-strait relations have encountered a series of ups and downs. Early this year, both sides of the Strait were successful in conducting negotiations and jointly implemented the Lunar New Year charter flights for Taiwanese businessmen. This created an opportunity for easing cross-strait tension. However, the Chinese leaders’ enactment of the “anti-separation law” (the so-called anti-secession law) shortly after has hurt the feelings of the Taiwanese people. After the enactment of the law, the Chinese leaders intentionally paid lip services in expressing goodwill to the Taiwanese people through inviting the two opposition parties’ leaders from Taiwan to visit China. Chairman Wu indicated that the biggest problem in Taiwan’s current cross-strait policy is not China, but the lack of consensus between Taiwan’s ruling and opposition parties. In an attempt to play the role of the ruling party, the opposition parties have not only created division and confrontation within Taiwan’s society, but they have also caused difficulties for the government to implement its administrative programs. This is rarely seen in any other democratic countries.
Chairman Wu reiterated that Taiwan has consistently asserted that both sides of the Strait should peacefully resolve all disputes through dialogues. It has repeatedly urged China to abandon setting up obstacles and resume dialogues and negotiations with Taiwan as soon as possible. This is aimed at reaching a consensus that is mutually acceptable. On June 13 this year, Premier Frank Hsieh proposed that in order to reduce cross-strait confrontations, both sides of the Strait should conduct negotiations on priority trade and economic issues, including the “cargo charter flights,” the “Taiwanese agricultural exports to China,” and the “relaxation policy to allow Chinese tourists to visit Taiwan.” This has been the greatest goodwill and sincerity shown by Taiwan. At present, some headway may be made on the issues of the “cargo charter flights” and the “policy to allow Chinese tourists to visit Taiwan.” However, the issue on the “ Taiwanese agricultural exports to China” has come to a stalemate.
Chairman Wu emphasized that in the future, MAC will make efforts to invite the Chinese officials to negotiate on substantive issues, including the joint anti-crime crackdown , the repatriation of stowaways, the establishment of a currency settlement mechanism, the signing of an agreement to protect China-bound investments by Taiwanese businessmen, the avoidance of double taxation, and the creation of a financial supervision and management mechanism. He said that as long as China does not set any preconditions, Taiwan is willing to negotiate with China on any non-political issues. Based on this, both sides can gradually move toward discussing political issues.