Thu, Oct 14, 2004 page1

• Chen counsels patience with China

  `SERIOUS PROVOCATION' China's response to the president's National Day speech, interpreted as conciliatory by most observers, was to dub it a call for independence

  • By Joy Su and Huang Tai-lin / STAFF REPORTERS
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  Saying that he was not surprised about Beijing's rhetoric yesterday, President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) called on his compatriots to be patient, as the US had recommended.

  Chen made the remarks in response to media inquiries about Beijing's criticism of his National Day speech.

  "The US had -- in private -- expressed their support, and welcomed my National Day speech and the goodwill which it conveyed," Chen said.

  "The US also told me that the other side would definitely have this kind of reaction, and told me that both A-bian and the government must be patient, and hope that the people would have patience as well," Chen added.

  Chinese authorities yesterday dismissed President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) proposals for resuming cross-strait talks, saying Chen's National Day speech was a blatant assertion of Taiwanese independence, and as such was a serious provocation of cross-strait tensions.

  "Chen Shui-bian's call to ease cross-strait tensions is fake; His moves to bring about Taiwanese independence are real," said Zhang Mingqing (張銘清), spokesman of China's Taiwan Affairs Office, during a routine press briefing in Beijing yesterday.

  Zhang rejected Chen's proposal on Sunday that cross-strait negotiations resume on "the basis of the 1992 meeting in Hong Kong," saying that China has long held that talks will be possible when Taiwan recognizes the "1992 consensus."

  The 1992 meeting in Hong Kong was conducted between representatives from the semi-official Straits Exchange Foundation in Taiwan and its counterpart, the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS). Taiwanese officials from the ruling party hold that no agreement was reached during the meeting, saying that there is a "Spirit of 1992," namely the willingness to put political differences aside and focus on practical issues, but no such thing as a "1992 consensus."

  According to Zhang however, the "1992 consensus" refers to the agreement between the SEF and ARATS to verbally express each party's interpretation of its adherence to the "one China" principle.

  Despite China's rejection of Chen's overtures, the nation's top cross-strait policymaking body seemed willing to continue waiting for a positive response from China.

  "The government's goodwill and stance have not changed. Taiwan is willing to wait patiently for China to seriously consider and come to an understanding of Taiwan's appeal," Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Vice Chairman Chiu Tai-san (邱太三) said.

  The MAC also asked China to think in "concrete terms" in a press statement issued yesterday evening. The statement reiterated Taiwan's willingness to agree to direct, chartered passenger and cargo flights with routes going both ways between Taiwan and China, calling on China to authorize representatives to discuss details.

  MAC's call for talks come despite China's first clear assertion that the chartered flights be considered domestic routes since Taiwan first initiated discussions on the matter this September.

  Zhang said yesterday that Taiwan had failed to respond to China's requirements. He said that flights would have to be considered domestic, be direct and reciprocal, and be beneficial to both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

  Zhang's statements move toward a more conservative stance in light of Chinese Vice Premier Qian Qichen's (錢其琛) remarks in August of 2000 that differences as to whether the "three links" were domestic did not have to touch upon sovereignty issues. He had put forth that the matter could be resolved with both sides refraining from carrying flags.

  However, cross-strait analysts yesterday said that China's response was not surprising.

  "Before the year-end legislative elections, China's response is to be expected. It is not possible that China would give Chen any credit before the elections," said Lo Chih-cheng (羅致政), executive director of the Institute for National Policy Research. It is believed that a positive response from China regarding Chen's National Day Speech will lend a hand to the ruling Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) goal of taking more than half of the legislative seats in the upcoming elections.

  Lo forecasted that there was more to come, pointing out that China's response yesterday had come in the form of an official's remarks, a far cry from Chen's speech, which had come after repeated reminders that an important announcement was to be issued.

  "We must still look to the May 17 statement. [China's response] yesterday were just remarks and not a statement. A statement is the work of collective wisdom," Lo said.

  "Policy initiatives require certain political realities to support them. In this case, the political realities are the upcoming US and legislative elections ... After the elections, China will be able to look again to Chen's words and evaluate whether it is workable or feasible," Lo said.

  With regard to Zhang's demand that Taiwan admit to the 1992 consensus, former deputy national defense minister and MAC vice chairman Lin Chong-pin (林中斌) told the Taipei Times yesterday that China's reference to the 1992 consensus came too late.

  "When the 1992 consensus was first introduced by then MAC chairman Su Chi (蘇起) in 2000, China failed to make a response. Now China is running after opportunities that they have lost," Lin said.

  While refraining to make predictions as to the possibility of talks on cross-strait flights, Lin pointed out that Beijing seemed to exhibit more agility in handling cross-strait issues pertaining to the "people of Taiwan," as opposed to the government.

  "They [China] divide the two things very distinctly. Regarding cross-strait interaction involving Taiwanese people, Beijing under Hu seems to be becoming more agile and engaging. But other issues regarding Taiwan's status as a sovereign country have not changed a lot, especially with regard to our international living space. They have not relaxed this aspect one bit," Lin said yesterday.

  While Lin said that China did not have to wait until after the legislative elections to respond positively to Taiwan's cross-strait flights proposals, given its willingness to be flexible in areas such as "cross-strait flights, or social activities," he said that China had a habit of making last minute decisions.

  "They wait until 11:59 before making a move," he said.
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