Date：April 27, 2018
MAC Press Release No. 30
Mainland China has recently intensified efforts to politically and militarily intimidate and economically absorb Taiwan with the intention to force Taiwan into acceptance of its political framework. The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) today (April 27, 2018) indicated that history informs us that "peace and communication" are the keys to achieving mutual benefit and co-prosperity across the Taiwan Strait. At this time of the 25th Anniversary of the Koo-Wang Talks in Singapore and 20th Anniversary of the Koo-Wang Meeting, the Mainland should review the hardships overcome by the two sides over the past many years and uphold the spirit of "shelving disputes and conducting pragmatic negotiations" and the original intention of resolving differences and maintaining peace. Looking to the future of cross-Strait relations, the two sides should develop benign interactions through constructive communication without preconditions.
The MAC stressed that the development of cross-Strait relations has never been a unilateral affair, nor has it ever been a smooth road. Over the past two years, Taiwan has cherished and maintained the cumulative results of the past 30-plus years of cross-Strait exchanges and consultations and remained committed to maintaining the status quo of cross-Strait peace and stability. In the process of cross-Strait exchanges, Taiwan has never wavered in its firm defense of the sovereignty of the Republic of China, Taiwan's dignity, and the right of Taiwan's 23 million people to freely choose the future of Taiwan. The two sides remain divided by political and ideological differences. However, the Mainland's knee-jerk aggressive intimidation and escalating inimical spiral are non-starters. They also indicate a fundamental misreading of the situation. Taiwan will not yield. The MAC appealed that Beijing needs to put itself in others' shoes, show empathy and mutual respect, set aside differences and seek common ground on the past historical facts and political foundation, resolve differences through communication, and demonstrate a responsible attitude towards the people and history. Only then can the two sides seek improvements and breakthroughs in cross-Strait interaction and work for the greater well-being of the people on both sides.