MAC issues an open letter explaining to China-based Taiwanese businessmen that ceasing the function of the National Unification Council（NUC）and ceasing the application of the National Unification Guidelines（NUG）are aimed at safeguarding the Taiwanese people’s freewill to choose their future.
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) today (March 1, 2006) issued an open letter to China-based Taiwanese businessmen. The letter explained that ceasing the function of the NUC and ceasing the application of the NUG are aimed at ensuring the long-term peace and stability of the Republic of China (ROC) and safeguarding the 23 million Taiwanese people’s freewill to choose their future.
The MAC also sincerely informed the Taiwanese businessmen that the government’s dedicated efforts to preserve the status quo across the Strait will remain unchanged. The government will not only continually promote cross-strait exchange measures to achieve mutual benefits and a win-win situation, but will also make every effort to create an environment conducive to long-term stability. This is aimed at helping Taiwanese businessmen manage their business in China without any worries and work even harder for Taiwan's economic development.
The open letter was sent today by the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) to the various China-based Taiwanese businessmen's associations. The full text of the letter is reprinted below:
An Open Letter to China-based Taiwanese Business Friends
Dear Taiwanese Business Friends,
Good day to you!
Greetings to all of our good friends who have worked long and hard abroad to develop their businesses and the economy of Taiwan.
On February 27, 2006, President Chen Shui-bian chaired a high-level national security conference announcing that the government has decided to cease the function of the NUC and cease the application of the NUG. Due to this decision, the government has encountered and suffered much pressure. However, in order to ensure the ROC’s long-term peace and stability and safeguard 23 million Taiwanese people’s freewill to choose their future, the President has made this decision after careful assessment during the national security conference. We would like to specifically inform you of the government's decision, and clarify the overall consideration and background of the decision.
Ten years ago, the citizens of Taiwan directly elected the president of the Republic of China for the first time. Lee Teng-hui and Lien Chan won the majority vote and became president and vice president, respectively. This was a major victory for the 23 million Taiwanese people in the process of democratization. You should also remember clearly that eight months before the Taiwanese citizens exercised their right to vote for their president and vice president, China believed that direct election of the president by the Taiwanese citizens would constitute the creation of "two Chinas" or a "division of the motherland." The Chinese authorities went so far as to conduct three consecutive missile tests in the Taiwan Strait as a warning in the run-up to the election. The government and the Taiwanese people were not defeated. Instead, they resolutely carried out the election with incomparable determination, which brought Taiwan a step closer to the road of democracy and winning the support of the international community. The facts demonstrated that China fears Taiwan’s democratic development and that the Taiwanese people can truly “manage their own affairs” by selecting their president and determine their own systems and ways of life.
In March 2005, the Chinese authorities once again ignored the opposition of the Taiwanese people and the world by passing the so-called "anti-separation law (ASL)." Not only was the ASL was aimed at fabricating a legal pretext for China’s future use of force against Taiwan, but it also further restricted the 23 million Taiwanese people’s future. If Taiwan does not obey, Beijing will punish Taiwan through "non-peaceful" means. Regrettably, China has been refining various soft-handed approaches in its “united front” tactics since the end of April 2005. Moreover, the cooperation between China and certain persons in Taiwan has given the wrong impression that China's Taiwan policy has turned for the better. We must remind that although China’s Taiwan policy has taken a soft approach, the enactment of the ASL is an established fact. The ASL has not been abolished or terminated, but rather remains as an ever-ready excuse for China to attack Taiwan by force. Not long ago, some people in Taiwan suddenly began talking about "unification is the final objective." Their words immediately received public commendations and praises from China's Taiwan Affairs Office officials. However, the majority of Taiwanese people hold a different position in this regard. We firmly believe that China has always thought of Taiwan with a closed-mind. If a major political party in Taiwan supports China’s views, then it will lead to misjudgment in China and cause serious impacts on the long-term cross-strait peace and stability. In order to prevent misjudgment by China, we must clearly voice the will of the vast majority in Taiwan. That is, “the Republic of China is a sovereign state that belongs to the 23 million Taiwanese people. Only the 23 million Taiwanese people have the right to decide the future of Taiwan.” As for Taiwan’s future, the government has always insisted that “as long as the 23 million Taiwanese people give consent, Taiwan does not exclude the possibility of developing any form of cross-strait relations.” Recently, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) has published advertisements in the papers expressing a position similar to that of the government. We believe this is the where mainstream public opinion lies.
We would like to solemnly indicate that with regard to the future development of cross-strait relations, the Taiwanese government will continue to implement its established policies. That is, Taiwan will continue to make all efforts to preserve peace and stability across the Strait. It is our objective to maintain the status quo in the Strait. In cross-strait exchanges, the government has never embraced the “national isolation” concept. All of our current efforts have been exerted in the hope of steadily developing more healthy, orderly and normalized interactions. We must first state that China’s unilateral decision to sever cross-strait negotiations occurred in June 1995 and not after May 2000. Since President Chen’s inauguration in 2000, Taiwan has urged Beijing to remove all artificial barriers and not to set political preconditions with hopes to resume institutionalized cross-strait negotiations. Secondly, in order to promote further development of cross-strait relations, the government has adopted a flexible approach under legal authorization, to negotiate with China on issues that involve limited government authority. Unfortunately, China is still unwilling to negotiate with Taiwan based on the principle of parity. Rather, it has attempted to fully "de-governmentalize" Taiwan through various means and has not shown sincerity in resolving issues through negotiations.
Just like our dear friends in the Taiwanese business community, we are in the same boat. Our families and our properties are all in Taiwan. We all love Taiwan and will safeguard Taiwan. We have always hoped that the unsettled cross-strait political disputes could be set aside. It is hoped that based on the principle of parity, the two governments could soon negotiate on various cross-strait issues, specifically those involving the Taiwanese business management and the rights and interests of the general public. In other words, both sides should prioritize negotiations on issues beneficial to our Taiwanese business friends and the people on both sides of the Strait.
Finally, we would like to solemnly reiterate that the government’s dedicated efforts to maintain the cross-strait status quo will remain unchanged. The government will not only continue to promote cross-strait exchange measures to achieve mutual benefits and a win-win situation, but it will also make every effort to build an environment conducive to long-term stability. This is aimed at helping Taiwanese businessmen manage their business in China without any worries, work even harder for Taiwan's economic development, have confidence in Taiwan’s democratic prospect, and relieve them of unnecessary burdens.
We have provided an explanation of the government’s policy above for your reference. Your comments and suggestions are most welcome at any time.
We wish you every success in your careers and good fortune and happiness for your families.
Mainland Affairs Council, Executive Yuan
March 1, 2006