| Subjects: |
- Reports on U.S. cabinet-level officials’ visits to Beijing, Reports on the PRC’s military exercises; Vice President Lien’s plan to visit the Mainland after his term of office; WTO membership.
|
MAC Vice Chairman Wu An-chia
at the April 14, 2000 Press Conference
Questions and Answers:
Q. The Hong Kong-based Ming Pao reported that during the past month Washington has designated cabinet-level officials to meet with Beijing authorities in order to prevent misjudgments amid the increasing tension across the Taiwan Strait. Can you comment on that.
A. We believe that what Washington did was in line with its preventive diplomacy. MAC welcomes any move that contributes to stability and development of cross-strait relations.
Q. Internal sources on the Mainland said that Beijing is adopting a strategy of “contending but not destroying; coercing but not crashing” toward Taiwan. What is your view about this strategy?
A. Many Hong Kong media have discussed this strategy. Lots of news coverage about the PRC’s military threats against Taiwan were revealed by the Hong Kong media as well. However, all of these require further confirmation.
We hope Mainland China will be kind, sincere, and patient in handling cross-strait relations. We also urge Beijing to deal with cross-strait relations with the spirit of “Chinese helping Chinese”, instead of “Chinese fighting Chinese.” Only by doing so can cross-strait relation advance toward friendly interactions, economic development and the standard of living of both sides improved. Military confrontation can only hurt economic development and the people’s well-being on the two sides. The Mainland authorities should abandon their hegemonic high-handedness.
Q. Beijing threatened to launch a military exercise on a scale larger than the previous ones, and vowed not to let Taiwan rest in peace. What is MAC’s understanding of the (PRC’s) possible military threat?
A. I personally believe that the Mainland authorities should hold a new concept in dealing cross-strait relations, which is not to use military force. A military threat will hurt cross-strait developments and destabilize peace and stability in the Asian-Pacific region. Based upon our observations, Beijing has been so far keeping up its pressure, and the military threat is one way of pressuring Taiwan. Whether military threats in language will amount to military action will be closely monitored by the concerned agency (Ministry of National Defense). I personally believe that the government has the capability of handling cross-strait relations. There is no need to panic.
Q. If outgoing Vice President Lien Chan visits the Mainland as an individual or as a political party leader after he completes his term, will MAC offer necessary assistance?
A. We will be glad to see he can make his trip.
Q. Will Vice President Lien’s planned visit to the Mainland violate regulations governing Mainland visits by government officials? If there is any problem in this regard, how will you handle that?
A. This is a hypothetical question, and MAC tends to refrain from making any comment on such questions. This case will have bearings on cross-strait relations and possibly friendly interplay between the two sides. So, MAC will be happy to see any visit that may help ease cross-strait tensions and contribute to friendly interplay. Is it necessary for him to make an application (for government approval) for his visit? This will be a special case involving visits by high-level officials, and this shall be determined by the new government. But, after May 20, Vice President Lien will not be a government official. He may visit the Mainland as chairman of the Kuomintang (a private civil organization). From the government’s point of view, his trip shall not be held back.
Q. What are the relevant regulations on retired or former government officials visiting Mainland China?
A. MAC has coordinated with other concerned agencies in establishing a review system. Regarding the regulation of Mainland visits by retired, former, and even incumbent political appointees, if such trips are considered to involve national secrets, the concerned cabinet agencies should send the name list of the persons planning to make such trips to the Exit and Entry Bureau. The bureau will then convene a committee to review the visits. Therefore, even after his term of office is over, Vice President Lien’s Mainland trip must be reviewed, since this review mechanism has been established.
Q. Reports indicate that Beijing has selectively cracked down on a few Taiwan businesses. What is your view on this?
A. Cross-strait economic exchanges are in the interests of both sides. Over the past years, Mainland economic exchanges have shot up, with indirect trade amounting to US$170 billion. Investment has reached US$14.5 billion. In such exchanges, money is paid for traded goods, and is not sent as gift from Mainland China to us. Mainland China enjoyed a trade surplus of US$60 billion in trade with the United States in 1999. Can the surplus be considered a cash award from the United States to Mainland China? So, any thinking (of the PRC) in this line should be modified. Cross-strait economic exchanges should be promoted under the principles of mutual benefit and mutual interests. We urge Mainland China not to politicize economic exchange programs or put political considerations high above other benefits. Such a move cannot contribute to friendly interplay between the two sides.
Having said that, we still wish to urge Taiwan businessmen to evaluate risk. Beijing’s recent moves will add to risk of investment, and local manufacturers should heed this warning and maintain their core businesses here. It is hoped that we can sign an agreement with Mainland China on investment protection for Taiwan businessmen on the Mainland in order to safeguard their interests.
Q. Beijing’s criticism of Taiwan businessmen supporting (DPP President-elect) Chen Shui-bian has been expanded to criticism of (Vice President-elect) Annette Lu as well as threats to use force. Chen said yesterday that in his inaugural speech to be delivered on May 20, he will mention cross-strait issues but people should not harbor too high an expectation for his speech. Can you give your view about what kind of political atmosphere the two sides are creating?
A. The two sides should handle political disputes with kindness, sincerity, and patience. “Kindness” refers to no military confrontation and a prevention of war. War will devastate economic development on the two sides, people’s well-being, and the future of the entire Chinese people. Sincerity refers to an open attitude to treat each other. “Patience” refers to the idea that unification is the long-term goal of the two sides. It takes time for divided nations to advance toward unification and it is unadvisable to rush into unification. Unification will arrive only when the time ripens. The ROC government is looking forward to advancing exchanges and having negotiations to enhance mutual understanding, foster mutual trust, and dispel hostility between the peoples on the two sides. These are all moves to foster an environment for future peaceful unification and for negotiations to resolve all issues arising from exchanges.
Q. Director Fu Dong-cheng visited Geneva to have an important meeting with the WTO Secretariat on Taiwan’s accession. What is the message he brought back?
A. Vice Minister of Economic Affairs Lin Yi-fu recently led a delegation to visit the United States and Switzerland to understand the development and problems related to our accession to the WTO. The delegation is scheduled to return to Taiwan next week. If you have further questions, you can ask Vice Minister Lin. MAC only fielded a representative as a delegate to understand related issues. Since WTO membership will affect cross-strait relations, the government hopes that after Beijing and Taipei accede to the WTO, the two sides can co-exist, enjoy prosperity, and support each other in international organizations, which will be in the interests of Chinese on the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.