July 4, 2014
Mac News Release No. 063
Deputy Minister Wu Mei-hung of the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC)
attended the 19th Asian Chinese Amity Conference held in Tokyo, Japan at 10:30 this
morning (July 4, 2014). During her speech on the current development of cross-strait
relations, Deputy Minister Wu indicated that the government's Mainland policy is
to pragmatically position cross-strait relations under the ROC Constitution framework
and to steadily promote institutionalized cross-strait negotiations on the basis
of the " 1992 Consensus of one China with respective interpretations" and adhering
to the principle of handling "easy matters before difficult ones, urgent matters
before non-urgent ones and economic matters before political ones." To date, the
two sides have signed 21 agreements. The government has adopted a "building blocks"
approach in its pursuit of long-term peace across the Taiwan Strait. In terms of
the economy, security and order of cross-strait exchanges, the government has safeguarded
the interests of the people on both sides and earned the public's affirmation.
Deputy Minister Wu particularly emphasized to the overseas Chinese
participants that, in February this year (2014), MAC Minister Wang accepted an invitation
by Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) Director Zhang Zhijun to visit the Mainland, making
him the first incumbent MAC minister to visit the Mainland in an official capacity
in the over 65 years of political separation across the Taiwan Strait. The two sides
held the first meeting between heads of cross-strait competent authorities, representing
the start of normalized official interactions and contacts across the Strait. Last
week (June 25 to 28), TAO Director Zhang visited Taiwan and held the second meeting
between heads of cross-strait competent authorities. The two sides discussed and
reached consensus on issues including humanitarian visit functions for SEF and ARATS
reciprocal institutions and Mainland tourist transits in Taiwan. They also agreed
to continue to promote cross-strait cultural, education, technology, and media exchanges.
The meeting had important significance for normal official interactions and benign
development across the Strait. It also enabled the Mainland cross-strait authorities
to personally experience Taiwan's democratic and pluralistic society, properly understand
views in Taiwan concerning cross-strait relations development, and pragmatically
and objectively view the cross-strait status quo.
Deputy Minister Wu concluded by noting that actions and efforts
by the government to improve cross-strait relations have led to a virtuous cycle
of enhancing cooperative relations between Taiwan and other countries and expanding
Taiwan's international interaction and cooperation. Looking to the future, the government
will proactively and steadily continue dialogue and communication with the Mainland
on the basis of mainstream public opinion; it will take advantage of institutionalized
exchanges to make democracy, freedom, and human rights core values shared by both
sides, and thereby create momentum for the Mainland to cross the deep water area
of reforms. At the same time, the two sides should seek to overcome difficulties
and work together to complete ECFA follow-up negotiations on issues such as the
Trade in Goods Agreement and Dispute Settlement Agreement. The two side should also
deepen and broaden cross-strait exchanges and cooperation to create favorable opportunities
for the long-term development of institutionalized cross-strait relations and joint
participation in regional economic integration.
After the speech, Deputy Minister Wu joined in a warm exchange
of views with the overseas Chinese participants. The conference was attended by
nearly 240 participants, including President Mao You-tsu of Chinese Association
in Japan, President Li Wei-hsiang of Tokyo Association of Chinese Residents, President
Hung Shen-hsin of Chinese Association of Osaka, as well as representatives of overseas
Chinese groups, overseas Chinese scholars, members of the overseas Chinese community,
and persons from various sectors across Asia. Taiwan's representative to Japan,
Ambassador Ssu-tsun Shen, and Vice Minister Roy Yuan-Rong Leu of the Overseas Community
Affairs Council also participated at the conference as well.