Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping (習近平) yesterday pledged peaceful ties during a meeting with a delegation of Taiwanese political and business leaders, suggesting that China’s policy toward Taiwan will not shift dramatically when he becomes president.
Peaceful development of cross-strait ties is the duty of the new Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leaders, Xi told former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairman Lien Chan (連戰), whose four-day trip to China is seen as offering a look at how Xi will handle relations between China and Taiwan.
“Safeguarding the interests of our Taiwanese compatriots and improving their well-being is the mainland’s oft-repeated pledge and solemn promise of the new leaders of the CCP’s central committee,” Xi said, according to Xinhua news agency.
Photo: CNA
“Of course, we also are soberly aware that historical problems remain in cross-strait relations, and that there will be issues in the future that will require time, patience and joint efforts to resolve,” Xi said.
Xi’s meeting with Lien was his first with a senior political figure from Taiwan since becoming the CCP’s general secretary in November last year. Xi will become China’s president next month.
Lien is set to meet outgoing Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) today. In a statement he said the 18 cross-strait agreements signed in the past four years were a break from the previous tumultuous relations, but added that “core issues” remained unresolved.
He said that experts and non-governmental organizations could tackle difficult political issues.
Taiwan and China can address stumbling blocks in trying to define “one China” and work out a reasonable arrangement, Lien said, adding that a solution can be expected in time.
He described cross-strait relations as moving from “one critical stage to another.”
As examples of issues that involve politics, he cited Taiwan’s participation in international organizations and cross-strait cooperation on fighting crime.
In the first case, he said a concrete result has been achieved without formal negotiations on an issue that is political in nature.
In a press release, Lien’s office said the meeting was based on the principles of “the one-China framework, cross-strait peace, mutual interest and integration, and revitalization of the Zhonghua Minzu [中華民族; Chinese ethnic group].”
Themed with these principles, the press release quoted Lien as tendering to Xi four opinions pertaining to cross-strait developments: that both sides of the Taiwan Strait agree with the “one China” framework, despite differences in their interpretations of the principle; that both sides put an end to cross-strait hostility while gradually ironing out disputes; that both sides seek to facilitate exchanges and mutual prosperity while strengthening their ethnic bond; and that both sides work to promote public welfare while upholding their ethnic dignity.
“Both sides of the Taiwan Strait should first seek common ground, put aside their differences and set aside disputes, before developing a more meaningful and constructive cross-strait relationship in the future,” Lien was quoted as saying in the press release.
Meanwhile, at a time when political differences remain between both sides of the Taiwan Strait, cross-strait [leaders] should separately govern [their territories] and show respect to each others, while seeking to consolidate cooperation and achieve a win-win situation, Lien was quoted as saying.
The press release also quoted Lien as sharing a number of conceptions on cross-strait relations featured in the political report delivered by Hu at the CCP’s 18th Party Congress in November last year.
“These remarks are true to reality and far-sighted, with which I deeply agree,” Lien was quoted as saying, refereeing to Hu’s call for Taiwan and China to “jointly explore cross-strait political relations and make reasonable arrangements for them under the special condition that the country has yet to be reunified.”
“We should commence exploration and forge consensuses based on this notion, striving to build a [cross-strait] political framework that is balanced, equal and feasible,” Lien was quoted as saying. “These efforts would be extremely conducive to achieving peace and sustainable developments across the Taiwan Strait in the future.”
Experiences accumulated during the more than two decades of cross-strait negotiations have highlighted the fact that disputes lead only to conflicts, idleness and self-consumption, the press release said.
It added that only by assisting each other and achieving integration could both sides establish their mutual interests and expedite the pace of [Chinese] ethnic revitalization.
“The development of cross-strait relations is aimed at improving the people’s well-being and is the common career of the entire [Chinese] ethnic group. It is not carried out for the purpose of serving the interest of a specific political party or for temporary interests, which is something people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait would like to see.”
SECURITY: As China is ‘reshaping’ Hong Kong’s population, Taiwan must raise the eligibility threshold for applications from Hong Kongers, Chiu Chui-cheng said When Hong Kong and Macau citizens apply for residency in Taiwan, it would be under a new category that includes a “national security observation period,” Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said yesterday. President William Lai (賴清德) on March 13 announced 17 strategies to counter China’s aggression toward Taiwan, including incorporating national security considerations into the review process for residency applications from Hong Kong and Macau citizens. The situation in Hong Kong is constantly changing, Chiu said to media yesterday on the sidelines of the Taipei Technology Run hosted by the Taipei Neihu Technology Park Development Association. With
CARROT AND STICK: While unrelenting in its military threats, China attracted nearly 40,000 Taiwanese to over 400 business events last year Nearly 40,000 Taiwanese last year joined industry events in China, such as conferences and trade fairs, supported by the Chinese government, a study showed yesterday, as Beijing ramps up a charm offensive toward Taipei alongside military pressure. China has long taken a carrot-and-stick approach to Taiwan, threatening it with the prospect of military action while reaching out to those it believes are amenable to Beijing’s point of view. Taiwanese security officials are wary of what they see as Beijing’s influence campaigns to sway public opinion after Taipei and Beijing gradually resumed travel links halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the scale of
A US Marine Corps regiment equipped with Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) is set to participate in the upcoming Balikatan 25 exercise in the Luzon Strait, marking the system’s first-ever deployment in the Philippines. US and Philippine officials have separately confirmed that the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) — the mobile launch platform for the Naval Strike Missile — would take part in the joint exercise. The missiles are being deployed to “a strategic first island chain chokepoint” in the waters between Taiwan proper and the Philippines, US-based Naval News reported. “The Luzon Strait and Bashi Channel represent a critical access
Pope Francis is be laid to rest on Saturday after lying in state for three days in St Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful are expected to flock to pay their respects to history’s first Latin American pontiff. The cardinals met yesterday in the Vatican’s synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis’ successor, as condolences poured in from around the world. According to current norms, the conclave must begin between May 5 and 10. The cardinals set the funeral for Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College
RSS