Mainland Affairs Council

Subjects:

Third vice chairman; Chairperson’s experience related to application to WTO; Direct link for religious purposes.

Vice Chairman Chong-Pin Lin
at the June 9, 2000 Press Conference

His Report:

Introduction of the third new appointed MAC Vice Chairman

John C. C. Deng:

Mr. Deng’s brief biography:

Education background: Master's degree, George Washington University; graduate from Law School, Soochow University.

Qualifications from examinations: Qualified in the Foreign Service examination and the examination for Overseas Economic Officers.

Experience: Officer, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Secretary of Economic Section of Council for Coordination of North American Affairs (CCNAA), Section Chief, Board of Foreign Trade (BOFT), Special Assistant to the President of Acer Computers, Deputy Director of BOFT, Director of BOFT, Chief of the Economic Division of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Washington, D.C.

Other: Member, Bar Association of Washington D.C.

Vice Chairman John C.C.Deng

Q. Can you talk about your experience in promoting trade and economic affairs during your overseas service in the United States.

A. It was a wonderful working experience in the United States. The U.S. has been strongly supportive of the Republic of China accessing the WTO, APEC and other international trade organizations. This is the reason why our work has been rather smooth. Our government agencies (finance, trade, economic affairs, or transportation) at all levels have maintained close relations with related U.S. departments.

Q. What is your optimal situation regarding interactions between the two sides in terms of trade and economic ties? To achieve that, what work should government agencies be committed to and coordinate with one another? Also, what are the barriers in the way of achieving your optimal situation?

A. The more ideal situation is for the two sides to foster an stable environment that is predictable for each other. Taiwan investors doing business in Mainland China have different requirements in both their business operation and living. It is better to satisfy their needs with a holistic consideration. However, there exists a distance from the optimal arrangement, which should be worked out by the two sides. Chairperson Tsai (Ing-wen) and other colleagues of MAC are working actively and with an open mind to handle this issue. I hope the other side can make more efforts for this goal as well.

Q. Can Taiwan join the WTO in September?

A. It is optimistic to expect Taiwan to accede to the WTO in September.

Q. Can you describe your feeling after accepting this job?

A. I have mixed feelings. I am very interested in work related to trade aspects under multi-lateral organizations, which allowed me to learn a lot. But, working for the Mainland Affairs Council is also very attractive. Chairperson Tsai offered me this opportunity, which I can hardly resist. That is why I accepted this job very swiftly.

Q. Can you describe your experience working with Chairperson Tsai in WTO-related areas?

A. Taiwan filed an application to GATT in 1990, and began the accession process in 1992. We had to hand in a Trade Regime Memorandum when we filed the application, which the government had no idea of how to prepare. Dr. Tsai helped the government to sort out all the paperwork. When we began to embark on trade negotiations in 1992, it was a brand new experience for Taiwan. She steered and assisted the whole team through the talks. In addition, one of the difficult things is that we had to prepare voluminous English documents for WTO in a timely fashion and with great accuracy. So, she did a lot of things to assist Taiwan's accession to the WTO.

Vice Chairman Chong-pin Lin

I was asked by Chairperson Tsai to make the following announcements:

1. The government respects religious freedom and has never opposed pilgrimages. However, religious pilgrimages in relation to (cross-strait) transportation must be governed by law and related measures.
2. The point of this issue is not on religious but on the transportation line.
3. The options under current law may include:
   (1) Permit an approval on a case-by-case basis for this transport docking at a third place, such as Hong Kong or Shih Yuan Islet; or
   (2) Allow for "special approval on a case-by-case basis" after the comprehensive planning for the small three direct links and the transportation involving Kinmen and Matzu is formulated pursuant to Article 18 of the Statutes Governing Constructions on Offshore Islands is completed.
4. Before a feasibility study is completed, and law and policy are revised, the feasible ways under current law are preferable.
5. However, the spirit of the above Statutes is to encourage construction on offshore islands and promote prosperity there, under which the government will follow to review the existing regulations and policy on the small three direct links.
6. The government has said it will complete its evaluation in six months.
7. Before the Mainland policy and regulations are adjusted, everyone is required to comply with existing regulations.
8. The overall Mainland policy should take into consideration cross-strait interplay and good will expressed by the Mainland side.

Also, we will study the two resolutions and opinions presented by legislators yesterday.

MAC will continue to have more communication with local communities and legislators.

Questions and Answers:

Q. Speaker Yen Chin-biao (of Taichung County Assembly) said believers in the Goddess of the Sea will travel to Meizhou, Fujian, via Shih Yuan Islet, Japan, on July 1. How are you going to handle this?

A. We strongly support Speaker Yen's public announcement that believers will abide by the law and not violate the law. We also want to express our respect for his promotion of religious pilgrimages and attention to local transportation demands. We understand the strong concern Mr. Yen and local communities have expressed on this issue. We will continue communicating with them and hope to find a reasonable solution under the law.

Q. It is believed that Mr. Yen will travel from Xiamen to Beijing today and

call on (PRC President) Jiang Zemin to talk about direct transport for religious purposes. Will his move put any pressure on the government?

A. We will try to have further understanding of this.

Q. You said you would make a cautious evaluation of the resolutions made by the legislators. What do you mean by cautious evaluation? Regarding the legislators' deadline of one month, can you act differently?

A. MAC will make a cautious evaluation.

Q. Is there a time frame for the planning of the small three direct links and the transportation between Kinmen and Matzu with the Mainland pursuant to Article 18 of the Statutes Governing Construction on Offshore Islands?

A. The chairperson told the Legislative Yuan yesterday that the evaluation would last six months. After evaluation, a decision will be made subject to any goodwill response from the Mainland side.

Q. In policy interpretation you just made, direct transportation for religious purposes will not become possible before MAC completes policy planning pursuant to Article 18. Is it correct?

A. It will take six months for the government to complete policy evaluation, but before it is completed, there are many ways to conduct religious activities between the two sides, including docking at a third place.

Q. The Legislative Yuan adopted a resolution yesterday that the government should handle the "direct transportation for religious purposes" within one month. Is it possible under the current policy?

A. We will make a cautious study.

Q. You just mentioned that you hope the Mainland side will respond with good will. Can you define "good will?"

A. We believe that good will should be consistent, not sporadic. If Beijing shows good will, we should be able to recognize that. Presently, if cross-strait dialogue or negotiations can be resumed and friendly interplay can be actively launched, this could be considered good will.

Q. Why will the policy evaluation take six months to complete?

A. It was a time frame computed by our staff members from a technical point of view.

Q. The Legislative Yuan (the Interior Affairs Committee) adopted two resolutions yesterday, one related to the Chenglan Temple of Tachia Town, and the second is the “small three direct links” for Kinmen and Matzu. Which one were you referring to when you said "cautious evaluation"?

A. We will make a cautious evaluation of both.