Mainland Affairs Council

Subjects:

"Forum for young scholars," Chang's visa to Hong Kong; Comparison of PRC 1993 and 2000 White Papers.

MAC Vice Chairman Chong-Pin Lin
at the March 10, 2000 Press Conference

His Report:

There are four points in my report today.

1. The "Cross-strait Forum for Young Scholars," sponsored by National Taiwan Normal University under the auspices of the Chinese Development Fund, will begin from March 13 to 21. The "Symposium on Cross-strait Higher Education Development and Reform" will be held from March 13-14 at the international conference hall of the university's College of Education. These activities are parts of the "Cross-strait Forum for Young Scholars Program" designed in 1998. This year, the programs include an invitation forum for scholars aged below 40 with doctoral degrees at universities or research institutions on Mainland China to meet with young scholars on our side. Scholars from Fudan University, Beijing University, Xiamen University, Qinghua University, East China Teachers' University, Beijing Normal University, Southwest Teachers' University, Sichuan University, and the China Academic Degree and Graduate Education Institution are invited. On the Taiwan side, scholars from Chungcheng University, National Chengchi University, Chinan University, Shih Shin University, Tamkang University, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei Teachers' University, and Taichung Teachers' University are invited.

2. Regarding the visa for Mr. Chang Liang-jen, previously deputy secretary-general of the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), to assume office as representative to Hong Kong, I would like to make the following report. In early January this year, our side contacted the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government in hopes of swiftly facilitating Mr. Chang's visa application to assume office in Hong Kong. However, in late January, when our side filed the application, the HKSAR government said "drop it." So, it was not our side that did not file an application, nor the other side that did not receive it. It was simply that the HKSAR government declined to accept it. I want to be clear on this point. Our government hopes to maintain and increase Taiwan-Hong Kong exchanges. So, we insist that our representative office be able to provide services facilitating travel between Taiwan and Hong Kong and promoting bilateral exchanges. We hope the HKSAR government can handle this case in a reasonable manner.

3. Here is a simple table with a comparison of key terms appeared in the 1993 PRC White Paper and the 2000 PRC White Paper.

a comparison of key terms appeared in the 1993 PRC White Paper and the 2000 PRC White Paper

NO	Key terms	2000 White Paper (A)	1993 White Paper (B)	A/B
1	"One-China principle"	32	12	2.7
2	Blame Taiwan for "separation"	31	5	6.2
3	Peaceful reunification	27	15	1.8
4	Sovereignty are inalienable	17	3	5.7
5	China's sovereignty	9	4	2.25
6	Struggle	8	6	1.3
7	One country, two systems	6	6	1
8	Illustration on the position against separation or separatist	5	4	1.25
9	Rhetoric claim that PRC having the sovereignty over Taiwan	4	1	4
10	Use of force	4	0	0 to 4
11	Negotiations on an equal footing	3	1 (equal negotiations) 4 (negotiations) 1 (peaceful negotiations) 2(contacting negotiation)	3 0.75 3 1.5
12	China's internal affairs	3	7	0.4
13	Rhetoric claim that Taiwan issues are China's internal affairs	3	3	1
14	Rhetoric claim that Taiwan is a local authority	1	0	0-1

If you read through the entire context, you will find it very interesting. Of course, we hope the two sides can have harmonious, mutually supportive, and friendly interaction. Our side is also pro-active regarding cross-strait negotiations.

1. 4. During mid-July 1999 to mid-February 2000, there were 173 times of the Hong Kong media reported or printed news and analyzed the PRC's possible military actions against Taiwan, with a total of 259 story items. (One report might combine various news items.) By content, these stories can be grouped into six categories: evaluation of military forces on the two sides (28%), new types of weapons or troops (22%), analysis of military tactics for invading Taiwan (17%), the PLA's determination against the statement of a "special state-to-state relationship" (15%), military exercises (13%), and PRC military zones (5).

This can be read together with another story, "Characteristics of the PRC's Psychological Warfare," published by Mainland Works Briefing Center. In the past three years, the PLA's research into high-tech warfare (information warfare or acupuncture warfare) included the study of psychological warfare. Psychological warfare, closely related to high-tech warfare, focuses on the manipulation of media. The traditional warfare by the PLA is a two-pronged tactics, mixing the use of the real with the non-existent. By objective standards, the PLA is still unable to launch a precision attack. (Its strike may incur tremendous negative effects.)

Questions and Answers:

PRC's Accession to the WTO

Q. In its White Paper, the PRC mentioned the schedule for the two sides to accede to the World Trade Organization (WTO), possibly in June or July this year. The PRC may enter WTO a bit ahead of us. What is your view?

A. We have no further information. We just hope that WTO members can support us to accede to the WTO at the same time or at a time very close to the PRC's admission, in a short interval like "waiting for a cup of coffee." Maybe Beijing has a different view. But, what most people expect is what you just said. We have no information about the latest development, since Beijing is still having talks with the European Union and other countries.

U.S. President Bill Clinton's Reaction toward PRC's White Paper

Q. U.S. President Bill Clinton just mentioned that the PRC White Paper carries three positive messages – reference of parity between the two sides for five times, no insistence on Taiwan's retraction of the "special state-to-state relationship", and flexibility on cross-strait talks. What is your view?

A. President Clinton mentioned that cross-strait issues must be peacefully resolved and the way to resolve them must be supported by our people, with which we strongly agree. As for his concerns on the resumption of cross-strait talks, we have been working toward that goal. After Beijing released the White Paper, the Taiwan people still welcome (Chairman of the Association for Relations across the Taiwan Straits) Mr. Wang Daohan to visit Taiwan in order to resume cross-strait talks. Therefore, no matter who will be elected president on March 18, and which team will handle cross-strait relations, public opinion will remain the same. In other words, the supportive attitude of the entire society and people to resume talks will not change overnight. As for Mr. Clinton's three observations, we need to study further.

Cross-strait Hotline Mechanism Needs to be Established

Q. After the two sides expressed good-will messages, is it still possible to establish a cross-strait hotline mechanism before or immediately after the election in order not to misjudge each other's situation?

A. I personally brought up a proposal for the two sides to establish a hotline mechanism about 10 years ago. Vice President Lien Chan mentioned this recently. I think this is a very positive goal. I hope more people will support this plan.

Future Possible Cross-strait Military Confrontation

Q. According to research done by high-level officials at the Presidential Office, the White Paper mentioned that the PRC will "never sit by and watch a divided China." "Never sit by and watch" is always a premonition of Beijing's military action. Therefore, it is likely that cross-strait military confrontation may escalate. What is your view?

A. Yes. Minister of National Defense (MOND) Tang Fei said that our side has not seen large-scale military maneuvers. We have to treat this matter seriously, so we have read it with extreme care. In my personal view, some factors forced Beijing to do something (take action or make a statement), but there are other factors restricting it from overreacting. Otherwise, it (overreaction) will backfire. The PRC must deal with the current situation within a space under a ceiling and above a floor.

Progress on Direct Transport for Religious Purposes

Q. How does direct transport for religious purposes progress? Can this be realized this year?

A. "Direct transport for religious purposes" is not transport along a straight line, but in a curve. No application for direct transport has been made, and in the future it will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. As far as I can tell, the last application was made within the permitted area, not beyond the policy line.

Q. You just mentioned that no matter what the election results are, people on Taiwan still welcome Mr. Wang to visit Taiwan. Will the PRC calmly accept our people's decision? Will the PRC take any irrational action because our selection is not what it wishes to see?

A. We will not decide whether they can accept our decision or not. But, our people have great sincerity to welcome Mr. Wang, and the government is moving toward the same goal. We have shown our goodwill, and we are waiting for Beijing's response. We hope the PRC can deal with cross-strait issues with a win-win or multiple-win attitude.

Significance of the Keywords in the 2000 PRC White Paper

Q. Your table quantify the keywords in the 1993 PRC White Paper and the 2000 PRC White Paper. What actually are you trying to say?

A. I have two statements to make. First, strong words are used more often in the recent White Paper (such as one-China principle, the use of force.) Second, strong words are used in this White Paper many times more than in the previous one. We just urge Beijing to say more nice words, and do more nice deeds.

Cross-strait Talks on Unification

Q. The Hong-Kong based Ming Pao reported that high-ranking Beijing officials hope that cross-strait talks on unification can be initiated within three years. If Taiwan declares independence, the PRC will resort to immediate military action. What is your view?

A. We hope the two sides can promptly resume cross-strait talks, and not necessarily wait for three years. We hope Mr. Wang can visit here at an early time. Negotiation is a process, and the results should be open. If one side determines the result already, and forces the other side to accept it, and to accept it in a given time frame, this will cause unnecessary trouble for the negotiation process. The post-Cold War era is an age of negotiation and communication. "Fist talks" is an improper strategy. We have extended our warm hand, but Mainland China still holds its fists.

The MAC News Briefing is an English transcript of the weekly news conference held by the Mainland Affairs Council. We try our best to provide an accurate English translation. In case of discrepancy, the Chinese text rules.