President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) speech on Sunday will serve as a stepping stone to cross-strait negotiations that ensure parity and dignity by pushing aside politics and focusing instead on practical, achievable projects, according to Mainland Affairs Council Vice Chairman Chiu Tai-san (
"In the past, we've had good experiences with negotiations because the basis and foundation for these negotiations was that both sides were willing to focus on matters that could concretely be solved," Chiu said yesterday during a forum to examine the impact of Chen's speech on cross-strait relations.
A proposal to establish a 1992 meeting in Hong Kong as the basis for future negotiation naturally begs the question of what was concluded at the meeting.
The meeting took place from Oct. 26 and 29 and was conducted by then Straits Exchange Foundation legal head Shi Hwei-yow (
HISTORICAL BAGGAGE
The Hong Kong meeting was called to discuss cooperation on certified mail and professional certification. No agreements were signed due to differences in interpreting the "one China" principle.
Taiwan had proposed that each party articulate it's stance on the "one China" principle orally, without putting pen to paper. While China had agreed to this in a phone call to the foundation on Nov. 3, it later proposed that each party's interpretation be made clear through written exchange of letters or fax. Since Taiwan refused, the matter was left unresolved.
However, analysts yesterday said that it was precisely the lack of a consensus that served as the main strategic thrust of Chen's speech.
AMBIGUITY IS GOOD
"The speech solves the problem of the `one China' principle with ambiguity. If both sides are willing to accept this ambiguity, than a new beginning is possible," Lo Chih-cheng (
Lo said Chen's speech had to be considered as a response to China's May 17 statement which reiterated the "one China" principle but also put forth seven points that touched on possibilities for cross-strait exchange.
"If China is willing to accept this ambiguity, then we can move to the next step -- the seven points issued in the statement," Lo said.
Analysts also pointed to another important aspect of Chen's speech -- his willingness to pursue solutions that are "not necessarily perfect, but acceptable."
They said that amounts to a recognition of the search for an unattainable "perfect" solution can hinder the possible attainable of a "good" solution.
National Chengchi University political science professor Chao Chien-min (
"If Taiwan is not satisfied with the status quo and is willing to work to change the situation, then ?we need to find a workable space for this," he said.
According to Chao, the president's speech can be interpreted as a proposal to allow negotiations on matters that can be discussed or as an agreement to refrain from debating the issue of sovereignty.
"In politics, you have to achieve a level of workability, a basis from which to work, or else the two sides will just drift away from each other," Chao said.
He said Chen's extension of goodwill in the past was unable to bring about an impasse for China that would force reciprocity.
He said that without a workable framework, it was like throwing cotton, instead of a ball, into the opponent's court.
IMPERFECT SOLUTION
Chiu said that the willingness to settle for an imperfect solution was in effect the creation of a new space for discussion on practical issues.
"Given all our differences, Chen is choosing to move away from politicized issues. Cargo and passenger flights are something that we can really do, and it is something that we are willing to try," Chiu said.
However, if you [China] are not willing to negotiate on this, then give me a list of what is acceptable for negotiation to you," Chiu said.
He said there was a need to create space for discussion by identifying practical issues that can be separated from the politics of the "one China" principle.
"President Chen is not avoiding addressing the `one China' principle ? He concedes that cross-strait development could result in a situation that everyone deems as imperfect, but that all would find acceptable," Chiu said.
Hong Kong singer Andy Lau’s (劉德華) concert in Taipei tonight has been cancelled due to Typhoon Kong-rei and is to be held at noon on Saturday instead, the concert organizer SuperDome said in a statement this afternoon. Tonight’s concert at Taipei Arena was to be the first of four consecutive nightly performances by Lau in Taipei, but it was called off at the request of Taipei Metro, the operator of the venue, due to the weather, said the organizer. Taipei Metro said the concert was cancelled out of consideration for the audience’s safety. The decision disappointed a number of Lau’s fans who had
A tropical depression east of the Philippines became a tropical storm early yesterday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, less than a week after a typhoon barreled across the nation. The agency issued an advisory at 3:30am stating that the 22nd tropical storm, named Yinxing, of the Pacific typhoon season formed at 2am. As of 8am, the storm was 1,730km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, with a 100km radius. It was moving west-northwest at 32kph, with maximum sustained winds of 83kph and gusts of up to 108kph. Based on its current path, the storm is not expected to hit Taiwan, CWA
Commuters in Taipei picked their way through debris and navigated disrupted transit schedules this morning on their way to work and school, as the city was still working to clear the streets in the aftermath of Typhoon Kong-rey. By 11pm yesterday, there were estimated 2,000 trees down in the city, as well as 390 reports of infrastructure damage, 318 reports of building damage and 307 reports of fallen signs, the Taipei Public Works Department said. Workers were mobilized late last night to clear the debris as soon as possible, the department said. However, as of this morning, many people were leaving messages
A Canadian dental assistant was recently indicted by prosecutors after she was caught in August trying to smuggle 32kg of marijuana into Taiwan, the Aviation Police Bureau said on Wednesday. The 30-year-old was arrested on Aug. 4 after arriving on a flight to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, Chang Tsung-lung (張驄瀧), a squad chief in the Aviation Police Bureau’s Criminal Investigation Division, told reporters. Customs officials noticed irregularities when the woman’s two suitcases passed through X-ray baggage scanners, Chang said. Upon searching them, officers discovered 32.61kg of marijuana, which local media outlets estimated to have a market value of more than NT$50 million (US$1.56
RSS