◆【台湾総統、中台対話再開を 「一つの中国」92年協議容認】台湾が称する「中華民国」の建国記念日「双十節」にあたる10日、陳水扁総統は台北市内の総統府前で行われた式典で演説し、「一つの中国」の定義について中台それぞれが独自解釈することで合意したとされる1992年の「香港協議」を確認する方針を表明し、中断している中台対話の再開を中国に対して呼びかけた。陳政権が92年の協議内容を明確に容認したのは今回が初めて。
陳総統は「両岸（中台）が『92年香港協議を基礎』とした上で受け入れ可能な方法を模索する」との妥協姿勢も示し、中国との対話再開に強い意欲をみせた。中国側は2000年の陳政権の誕生以来、この香港協議を陳政権が確認することを対話再開の条件としており、今後の反応が注目される。
92年の香港協議は中国大陸と台湾が広義の「一つの中国」に属することを認める内容。その正統政権が北京の「中華人民共和国」か台湾が掲げる「中華民国」かについては、中台がそれぞれの独自解釈を認めることで対話を促した。
ただ、陳総統は演説の中で「中華民国は台湾だ」とも述べ、北京を首都とする「中華人民共和国」による国家統一をめざす中国当局側の「一つの中国」原則や「一国二制度」を受け入れる意思のないことも改めて強調した。このため今回の演説は92年当時の協議内容を完全に確認したものとは言い難い。中国は陳総統の演説を「一つのシグナル」と受けとめつつも、台湾当局との対話に応じるのは難しいと予想される。（産経新聞）
◆【台湾総統が中台対話呼びかけ…再開実現は不透明 】台湾の陳水扁総統は10日、台北で行われた「双十節」（清朝を倒した辛亥革命記念日）の式典で演説し、中国と台湾が「一つの中国」原則について話し合った「1992年の香港会談」を基礎に、中国と対話を行えるとの考えを表明した。ただ、陳総統が、「一つの中国」を受け入れたわけではなく、中台対話の再開につながるかどうかは不透明だ。
陳総統は、「両岸（中台）は、『92年の香港会談』を基礎に、完ぺきではなくとも受け入れ可能な方策を見つけ、対話と協議の準備を進めることができる」と述べた。
「香港会談」は、台湾の対中窓口機関である海峡交流基金会と、中国側の海峡両岸関係協会が同年10月に香港で行った事務レベル協議。会談後、「一つの中国」の解釈について、中国側は「一つの中国の堅持」で共通認識に達したと主張、台湾側は「一つの中国は各自が解釈する」ことが共通認識と主張した。
中国はこれまで、中断している中台対話再開の条件として、自らの解釈をもとに、台湾に対して、「一つの中国を堅持する」という「共通認識」に立ち戻るよう再三求めてきた。
陳総統の発言は、一見、中国に歩み寄ったような印象を与える。しかし、現実には、中台は「それぞれ別の国（一辺一国）」と主張する陳総統が、中台が一つの国であると認めるものでは全くない。
実際、この日の演説で、陳総統は、「『中華民国』の主権は2300万人の台湾住民に属している。『中華民国』は台湾だ」とも述べている。
対話再開に向けたアピールには、12月に台湾で行われる立法院（国会）選挙を前に、中台関係悪化に対する台湾住民の不安を除く狙いもあると見られる。
陳総統はこのほか、9月に共産党中央軍事委員会主席に就任した胡錦濤・中国国家主席に、「両岸は敵対状態を正式に終わらせ、台湾海峡の恒久和平を具体的に担保するため、軍備政策を検証し合い、『台湾海峡行動規範』を共同で研究すべきだ」と呼びかけた。（読売新聞）
◆【 中国との対話に譲歩姿勢示す 台湾・陳総統】台湾の陳水扁総統は10日、中断したままの中国との直接対話について、中国側が求めている対話再開の条件を受け入れる姿勢を示した。対話再開の流れを作るために譲歩したとの受け止め方が台湾で広がっている。辛亥革命記念日の「双十節（建国記念日に相当）」祝賀式での演説で、陳総統は「両岸（中台）は92年の香港会談を基礎として対話に向けた準備を進めることができる」と述べた。双方の交流機関が中台対話の前提を話し合った「香港会談」では、中国側によれば「お互いが一つの中国の原則を守る」ことが合意された。
「一つの中国は認めない」との立場だった陳総統が、今は野党の国民党政権時代に行われた同会談を評価するのは初めて。約５年間中断している対話再開の条件として中国側は「香港会談を認める」ことをあげていたが、初めてこれに応える形ともなった。（朝日新聞）
◆【中国側に対話再開の準備呼びかけ 陳総統が演説】台湾の陳水扁総統は10日、辛亥革命（1911年）を記念する「双十節」の式典で演説し、「一つの中国」の定義を中台が各自解釈するとした92年の中台合意を基礎に「（双方が）受け入れ可能な方法を模索し、対話再開への準備を行う」よう中国側に呼びかけた。
陳総統が92年合意を認める意思を正式に表明したのは初めて。ただ、中国当局は新憲法制定構想を進める陳総統が独立に向かっていると強硬姿勢を崩さず、「『一つの中国』は台湾を含む中華人民共和国」との定義を受け入れるよう台湾側に迫っている。
また、陳総統も12月の立法院（国会）選挙を前に、有権者に中台関係安定化への努力を示す必要が演説の背景にある。今回の陳総統の呼びかけで、95年から中断したままの中台対話が再開に向かう可能性は低い。
陳総統は演説で、中台当局間の協議により軍事的緊張を緩和する「台湾海峡行動規則」を策定し、恒久平和を具体的に保障する枠組みづくりも提唱した。
さらに江沢民氏の完全引退を決めた中国指導部の人事にも言及。「（中台）双方がよりよい智恵を出し、（中台）両岸関係の新たな発展の好機になるはず」と述べ、胡錦濤体制に期待感も示した。（毎日新聞）
◆【台湾総統、対話再開に意欲 「一つの中国」協議基に】台湾の陳水扁総統は10日、台北市の総統府前で行われた1911年の辛亥（しんがい）革命を記念する「双十節（建国記念日に相当）」の式典で演説、「一つの中国」の定義について、中国と台湾が各自解釈することで合意したとされる92年の香港での協議を基に、中国との対話を進める考えを初めて示した。
「一つの中国」原則の受け入れを求める中国当局に歩み寄るポーズを示し、中断している対話再開への糸口をつかむ狙いがあるようだ。中国側は陳氏が提起した新憲法制定計画を「独立の動き」とみて警戒しており、ただちに対話に応じる可能性は低いとみられる。
陳氏は、香港での協議を今後の対話の基礎とし「完全ではないが、受け入れられる方策」を追求するとの妥協姿勢を示すかたわら「『中華民国』は台湾だ」と述べ、現時点で「一つの中国」原則を受け入れる考えがないことを明確にした。（共同通信）
◆【President calls for cross-strait dialogue】NATIONAL DAY ADDRESS: Chen suggested that a 1992 meeting in Hong Kong between Chinese and Taiwanese officials could form the basis for the two sides to meet
In a highly-anticipated speech yesterday, President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) suggested both sides of the Strait could use a 1992 meeting in Hong Kong as the basis to return to the negotiation table for a new round of cross-strait talks.
Stating that the governments and people on both sides of the Strait hold different views on many issues, some of which is due to a lack of communication, Chen said he is willing to take the initiative.
He proposed both sides use the basis of a 1992 meeting in Hong Kong, to seek possible formats that are “not necessarily perfect but acceptable,” as a step toward resuming the long-stalled negotiations.
In the address, which was delivered at the Double Ten National Day rally in front of the Presidential Office, the president also proposed that both sides seriously consider the issue of “arms control” and adopt concrete actions to reduce tension and military threats across the Taiwan Strait.
“In the long term, both sides should formally end the state of hostility across the Taiwan Strait and establish confidence-building measures through consultations and dialogues,” Chen told his audience.
“Furthermore, we should review the armament policies of both sides and seek to establish a Code of Conduct across the Taiwan Strait (海峽行為準則) as a tangible guarantee of permanent peace in the Taiwan Strait.”
◆Response to China
Chen had previously said that his National Day speech would be a response to a May 17 statement issued by the Chinese Communist Party and the Beijing government’s Taiwan Affairs Office.
Beijing’s May 17 statement included points on a resumption of cross-strait dialogue, realizing direct and “three links” to facilitate exchanges in commerce, trade and transportation, and establishing a mechanism of mutual trust in the military field.
Reiterating that he would honor commitments and principles set forth in his second-term inaugural speech on May 20, Chen yesterday also called on leaders from both sides of the Strait to adopt a new frame of mind and approach in addressing future cross-strait issues.
“If both sides are willing, on the basis of goodwill, to create an environment engendered upon `peaceful development and freedom of choice,’ then in the future, the Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China — or Taiwan and China — can seek to establish political relations in any form whatsoever ? so long as there is the consent of the 23 million people of Taiwan,” Chen said.
He added that cross-strait relations are not necessarily a zero-sum game and there will never be a winner unless it’s a win-win situation for both sides.
Chen also pledged to invite leaders from all political parties — after the legislative elections are complete — to collaborate on establishing a Committee for Cross-strait Peace and Development (兩岸和平發展委員會) and deliberate on other national issues, such as constitutional reform.
On cross-strait economic and trade issues, Chen said the government is formulating a plan that provides a “convenient and efficient means to facilitate chartered flights for passengers and cargo.”
“It is our earnest hope that cross-strait consultations can begin as soon as possible, so as to seek further progress in the Three Links policy,” he said.
◆Self defense
While extending goodwill toward Beijing, Chen, however, also stressed the necessity for the nation to maintain a self-defense capacity, pointing to the increasing number of missiles China is aiming at Taiwan.
“As an old adage goes, `One shall be famished if one awaits indolently for the merciful provisions of nature; and one shall be defeated if one relies on others to fight his battles.’ Only if we remain resolute in our determination to defend ourselves and build up sufficient defense capabilities can we ensure peace across the Taiwan Strait and security for Taiwan,” Chen said. He branded China’s threat of military force as being “the greatest `shadow of terror’ and `force of darkness’ across the Taiwan Strait.”
According to Chen, there are at the present more than 600 ballistic missiles targeting Taiwan with the number to grow by 50 to 75 missiles each year.
“The `shadows of terror’ and `forces of darkness’ not only directly threaten the peaceful status quo across the Taiwan Strait but also undermine regional stability and global security,” Chen said.
Stating that it is indisputable that the Republic of China is Taiwan and Taiwan is the Republic of China, and that the sovereignty of the Republic of China is vested with the 23 million people of Taiwan, Chen yesterday also spoke of Taiwan’s unfair treatment in the international arena and Taiwan’s exclusion from the UN. （Taipei Times）
◆【Taiwan Leader Proposes Talks With China’s New Chief】President Chen Shui-bian of Taiwan called today for the opening of peace talks with mainland China in a conciliatory overture following President Hu Jintao’s consolidation of power last month in Beijing.In a National Day speech here, President Chen urged a special emphasis on arms control, following a buildup by mainland China of ballistic missiles pointed at Taiwan and a recent threat by Taiwan to rocket Shanghai if the mainland attacks.
“I propose that both sides should seriously consider the issue of arms control and take concrete actions to reduce tension and military threats across the Taiwan Strait,” President Chen said.
He added: “In the long term, both sides should formally end the state of hostility across the Taiwan Strait and establish confidence-building measures through consultations and dialogues.”
In a telephone call last Thursday, President Hu asked President Bush not to proceed with plans to sell surveillance aircraft and other military equipment to Taiwan. After talks in Beijing on Saturday with President Hu, President Jacques Chirac of France said at a news conference, “We are worried about the tense situation in this region that is currently worsening.”
There was no immediate response from Beijing to President Chen’s proposal. Foreign policy analysts predicted that mainland officials would initially reject it.
President Chen is deeply distrusted, disliked and even despised by Beijing officials for his decades-long advocacy of greater political independence for Taiwan ? a track record that made his conciliatory tone today all the more noteworthy.
But President Hu’s consolidation of power in China ? he became the chairman of the Central Military Commission following the surprise resignation last month of former President Jiang Zemin ? has created new interest in Taipei and Washington in trying to reduce tensions across the Taiwan Strait. Since becoming president two years ago, Mr. Hu has said practically nothing publicly about Taiwan. President Chen made a clear reference today to President Hu, who leads the fourth generation of political leaders in Communist China.
“Cross-strait relations are not necessarily a zero-sum game, there will never be a winner unless it’s a win-win situation for both sides,” President Chen said. “I believe the fourth-generation leadership on the other side of the strait should be able to fully understand this point.”
Next January will mark the 10th anniversary of a speech by Mr. Jiang that laid out a fairly hard line on Taiwan. Chinese officials have reiterated the same positions each January since then. Taiwanese officials have been hoping that by taking a softer tack now, they might prompt a review and revision of policies in Beijing by January.
President Chen’s room for political maneuvering is somewhat limited until then anyway because of legislative elections on Dec. 11. President Chen’s Democratic Progressive Party, which has traditionally favored greater independence, looks increasingly likely to capture a majority for the first time with its allies, the smaller Taiwan Solidarity Union.
The two parties favoring closer relations with the mainland ? the Nationalist Party and the People First Party ? are locked in a fratricidal struggle for the support of the island’s dwindling number of voters sympathetic to the mainland, and are expected to lose seats as a result under Taiwan’s complex electoral rules.
In the section of President Chen’s speech likely to receive the greatest scrutiny in Beijing, he suggested for the first time that Taiwan and mainland China revive a brief flurry of contacts in Hong Kong and Singapore in 1992 between Taiwanese and Chinese officials. Those contacts were possible then because the Nationalist Party was still ruling Taiwan and because Taiwan and China agreed then that they both had a “one China policy,” and agreed to disagree on what exactly that policy was.
But while President Chen suggested that these contacts resume, he also made a series of assertions of Taiwanese sovereignty that are certain to infuriate mainland officials. Most notably, he seemed to define the Republic of China, the legal name the government here has used for decades, as the island of Taiwan but not the mainland.
“The sovereignty of the Republic of China is vested with the 23 million people of Taiwan,” he said. “The Republic of China is Taiwan, and Taiwan is the Republic of China. This is an indisputable fact.”
Andrew Yang, the secretary general of the Chinese Council of Advanced Policy Studies, an independent research group here, said that Mr. Chen seemed to want to revive the 1992 contacts while distancing himself from the acceptance of the one China principle that underpinned them. “It seems that the premise is to reopen the dialogue on an equal footing,” as talks between sovereign countries, something that Beijing is unlikely to accept, he said.
Persuading the mainland to accept limits on arms purchases could also be difficult: rapid economic growth on the mainland has allowed the People’s Liberation Army to invest heavily in new missiles and other equipment. Taiwan’s government is still struggling to find the money to pay for American weapons that President Bush approved for sale three years ago.
President Chen said that his government was also working on plans for chartered flights between the mainland and Taiwan and wanted to improve protections for cross-strait investments. Taiwan is one of the biggest sources of investment on the mainland.
He called as well for all political parties in Taiwan to form a “Committee for Cross-strait Peace and Development.” But Alex Tsai, a lawmaker and the spokesman of the Nationalist Party, dismissed this suggestion, saying that the president had offered few details and that his party was generally reluctant to collaborate with the president, whom the party accuses of improprieties in his re-election win last March.
A parade preceding the president’s speech reflected his conciliatory tone: instead of rows of soldiers shouting martial slogans about retaking the mainland, honor guards from the army, navy and air force performed a dance-like drill with twirling rifles to the melody from “La Bamba.” Young girls in traditional southeast Chinese attire twirled parasols and boys pulled streamers of bright green, the color of President Chen’s party.
The choice of music was partly in honor of visiting diplomats from several small Latin American countries that are among the handful of nations, mostly dependent on Taiwanese foreign aid, that still have diplomatic relations with Taipei instead of Beijing. In another measure of Taiwan’s eroding diplomatic clout, ceremonies here gave special prominence to an obscure ally who showed up: Prime Minister Absalom T. Dlamini of Swaziland.（2004/10/10 New York Times）
◆【In an Overture, Taiwan’s President Calls for Opening Peace Talks With Mainland China】President Chen Shui-bian of Taiwan on Sunday called for opening peace talks with mainland China, in a conciliatory overture following President Hu Jintao’s consolidation of power last month in Beijing,
In a National Day speech here, Mr. Chen called for an emphasis on arms control, in light of mainland China’s buildup of ballistic missiles pointed at Taiwan and a recent threat by Taiwan to aim rockets at Shanghai if the mainland attacks.
“I propose that both sides should seriously consider the issue of arms control and take concrete actions to reduce tension and military threats across the Taiwan Strait,” Mr. Chen said. “In the long term, both sides should formally end the state of hostility across the Taiwan Strait and establish confidence-building measures through consultations and dialogues,” he said later.
Mr. Hu asked President Bush in a telephone call last Thursday to abandon plans to sell Taiwan surveillance aircraft and other military equipment. After talks in Beijing on Saturday with Mr. Hu, President Jacques Chirac of France warned at a news conference, “We are worried about the tense situation in this region that is currently worsening.”
Beijing had no response to President Chen’s proposal. Foreign policy analysts predicted that mainland officials would initially reject it.
Beijing officials deeply distrust and dislike Mr. Chen for his decades of advocacy of greater political independence for Taiwan – which made his conciliatory tone on Sunday all the more noteworthy.
But Mr. Hu’s recent consolidation of power in China – he became chairman of the Central Military Commission after former President Jiang Zemin resigned – has increased interest in Taipei and Washington in trying to reduce tensions across the Taiwan Strait. Mr. Hu, who leads the fourth generation of political leadership in Communist China, has said practically nothing publicly about Taiwan since becoming president two years ago.
“Cross-strait relations are not necessarily a zero-sum game, there will never be a winner unless it’s a win-win situation for both sides,” Mr. Chen said. “I believe the fourth-generation leadership on the other side of the strait should be able to fully understand this point.”
Next January will be the 10th anniversary of a speech by Mr. Jiang that laid out a fairly hard line on Taiwan. Taiwanese officials have been hoping that by taking a softer tack now, they might prompt a review and revision of that policy. Mr. Chen’s room for political maneuvering is limited, at least until legislative elections on Dec. 11. His Democratic Progressive Party, which has traditionally favored greater independence, looks increasingly likely to capture a majority for the first time with its allies, the smaller Taiwan Solidarity Union.
The two parties favoring closer relations with the mainland – the Nationalist Party and the People First Party – are in a fratricidal struggle and are expected to lose seats under Taiwan’s complex electoral rules.
In the section of President Chen’s speech that is likely to receive the greatest scrutiny in Beijing, he suggested for the first time that officials from Taiwan and mainland China revive a brief flurry of contacts in Hong Kong in 1992 and Singapore in 1993. Those contacts were possible because the Nationalist Party was still ruling Taiwan and Taiwan and China agreed then that they both had a One-China policy, and agreed to disagree on exactly what that was.
But Mr. Chen also made a series of assertions of Taiwanese sovereignty that were certain to infuriate mainland officials. Most notably, he seemed to define the Republic of China, the legal name the government here has used for decades, as the island of Taiwan but not the mainland.
“The sovereignty of the Republic of China is vested with the 23 million people of Taiwan,” he said. “The Republic of China is Taiwan, and Taiwan is the Republic of China. This is an indisputable fact.”
Andrew Yang, the secretary general of the independent Chinese Council of Advanced Policy Studies, said Mr. Chen seemed to want to revive the 1992 contacts while distancing himself from the acceptance of the One-China policy. “It seems that the premise is to reopen the dialogue on an equal footing,” as talks between sovereign countries, something that Beijing is unlikely to accept, he said.
Persuading the mainland to accept limits on arms purchases could also be difficult: rapid economic growth on the mainland has allowed the People’s Liberation Army to invest heavily in new missiles and other equipment. Taiwan is still struggling to find the money to pay for American weapons that President Bush approved for sale three years ago.
Mr. Chen said his government was planning chartered flights between the mainland and Taiwan and wanted to improve protections for cross-straits investments. Taiwan is one of the biggest sources of investment on the mainland.
A parade preceding the president’s speech reflected his conciliatory tone. Instead of rows of soldiers shouting martial slogans about retaking the mainland, honor guards from the army, navy and air force performed a dancelike drill with twirling rifles to the melody from “La Bamba.” Girls in traditional southeast Chinese attire twirled parasols, and boys pulled streamers of bright green, the color of President Chen’s party.
The choice of music was partly to honor visiting diplomats from several small Latin American countries that are among the handful of nations, mostly dependent on Taiwanese aid, that still have diplomatic relations with Taipei instead of Beijing. In another measure of Taiwan’s eroding diplomatic clout, ceremonies here gave prominence to an obscure ally who came up: Prime Minister Absalom T. Dlamini of Swaziland.（2004/10/11 New York Times）
◆【 Taiwan’s Chen Seeks to Restart Cross-Strait Talks】President Chen Shui-bian of Taiwan, in a conciliatory gesture aimed at China’s newly consolidated leadership, proposed a fresh start Sunday for long-suspended talks to improve relations and lower tension across the Taiwan Strait.
Chen suggested that China’s president, Hu Jintao, might be more flexible in addressing Taiwan’s concerns now that former president Jiang Zemin has retired and left Hu in charge of the Chinese military in addition to the presidency and the Communist Party. In that light, Chen declared, Taiwan is willing to resume discussions on the basis of a previous agreement that there is only one China, but that Beijing and Taipei have differing interpretations of what that means.
“We are aware of the transfer of power and personnel reshuffling on the other side of the strait,” Chen said in a National Day address. “We hope that, with greater wisdom, both sides can create better opportunities for new development of cross-strait relations.”
Chen said his government was willing to return to the artful ambiguity of the 1992 Hong Kong accord as a starting point for improving ties. Renewed contacts, he said, would “seek possible schemes that are not necessarily perfect but acceptable as preparation of a step forward in the resumption of dialogue and consultation.”
In the context of Taiwanese politics and Chen’s long-standing goal of formal Taiwanese independence, the president’s proposal was seen here as a concession designed to improve the atmosphere, lower tensions and refute charges that he is not interested in getting along with the mainland. “This is quite a departure from the position of the ruling party,” said Lo Chih-cheng of the National Institute of Policy Research in Taipei.
The Chinese government in Beijing, which has insisted on acceptance of the “one China” principle as a condition for further talks, had no immediate reaction, saying it was studying Chen’s proposal. In Washington, however, the State Department hailed Chen’s suggestion as a possible avenue toward resumption of discussions.
“We welcome the constructive message conveyed in President Chen’s speech, which we believe offers some creative ideas for reducing tensions and resuming the cross-strait dialogue,” Darla Jordan, a department spokeswoman, told the Associated Press.
Chen’s refusal to accept the “one China” principle has long been cited by Chinese leaders as the main reason discussions on improving ties have been suspended even since before Chen took over in 2000.
The 1992 Hong Kong accord was reached by Chinese and Taiwanese cross-strait specialists under Taiwan’s previous government, led by the Nationalist Party. Chen and his independence-minded group, the Democratic Progressive Party, had not previously embraced it, taking a clearer stand that there are two countries, one on either side of the 100-mile-wide strait.
Chinese officials have said repeatedly that they believe Chen is determined to lead Taiwan to independence, no matter what he says at any given moment. Although foreign China specialists have reported hearing talk of new ideas in Beijing recently, officials there have for months described China’s Taiwan policy as a stalling tactic, saying little can be done until Chen’s leadership of the self-governing island ends.
True to his past, Chen balanced Sunday’s conciliatory gesture with insistence that, even if talks resume, nothing can be done to change Taiwan’s status without the consent of its people. While he declared his acceptance of the ambiguity of the 1992 Hong Kong accord, he also emphasized his long-standing insistence that Taiwan is a sovereign entity entitled to U.N. membership and diplomatic recognition.
“The sovereignty of the Republic of China is vested with the 23 million people of Taiwan,” he said. “The Republic of China is Taiwan, and Taiwan is the Republic of China. This is an indisputable fact.”
To underline that contention, Foreign Minister Mark Chen announced that from now on the government would designate itself the “Republic of China (Taiwan)” in official documents, instead of just Republic of China. The policy was inaugurated Saturday in an agreement with the central African nation of Chad, one of only about two dozen countries that maintain relations with Taiwan rather than with China.
In the context of the hairsplitting semantics that mark the China-Taiwan dispute, the shift was seen as small but reflective of Chen’s deep convictions on the long, evolving argument over Taiwan’s status.
When Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalist forces were defeated by the Communists of Mao Zedong in 1949, they took refuge on Taiwan with the claim that they, not the Communists, were the true rulers of China. As a result, they continued to call themselves the Republic of China and asserted they one day would return to the mainland and regain control. Sunday’s National Day celebration, for instance, marked the date in 1911 when Sun Yat-sen founded the Republic of China.
Given that perspective, Taiwan’s Nationalist rulers for years readily agreed there was only one China, including Taiwan. But Chen’s party, with its Taiwanese nationalism, has never accepted that outlook. And now, more than half a century later, even the Nationalists have moved toward the idea of separate countries.
Chen’s gesture toward the “one China” principle cherished by Beijing therefore went against a historical tide flowing in the other direction, with Chen and his party leading the way. In an interview Friday, for instance, Mark Chen, the foreign minister, described his government’s stand in a way that seemed to leave no room for the “one China” principle.
“If [Chinese officials] can recognize that Taiwan is a country, [as] the People’s Republic of China is a country,” he said, “if they can do that, then we can sit down and talk.” He added: “We are a country. I think we want to maintain the status quo at this point.” （2004/10/11 Washington Post）
◆【Taiwan keen to turn back clock on talks】Taiwan’s President Chen Shui-bian has indicated he would be willing to resume cross-Strait talks with China based on a compromise reached between the island and Beijing during negotiations more than a decade ago.
The exact definition of this compromise, negotiated by semi-official Taipei delegates and Beijing in Hong Kong in 1992, remains under dispute. But according to China and the Kuomintang, Taiwan’s former ruling party, the so-called “1992 consensus” was an agreement by which each side would agree to negotiate while holding its own interpretation of the “one China” principle.
“I would like to take the initiative to propose that both sides use the basis of the 1992 meeting in Hong Kong to seek possible schemes that are not necessarily perfect but acceptable . . .to help prepare for the resumption of dialogue,” Mr Chen said in his National Day address.
Touted by Mr Chen as a peace overture, the remarks are seen as a mild concession but one that is too vague to prompt a positive response from Beijing.
The “1992 consensus” paved the way for the first bilateral talks, held in Singapore in 1993, between China and Taiwan in five decades.
But attempts to continue the talks broke down in 1999 when Lee Teng-hui, Mr Chen’s predecessor, redefined cross-Strait relations as “special state-to-state”, implying an independent Taiwan. Mr Chen’s government has also denied there was any consensus in 1992.
The Taiwanese president’s latest statement was “an attempt to return to the ‘1992 consensus’ without losing face”, said George Tsai, a researcher on cross-Strait issues at the Institute for International Relations at National Chengchi University in Taipei.
A presidential aide said Taipei did not expect a positive response in the short term but hoped Beijing would reciprocate after the December legislative election.
However, analysts rejected any hopes of a breakthrough.
They said Mr Chen had made his overture worthless by making hostile remarks towards China in other parts of the speech and by failing to rein in his political allies’ recent campaigns for Taiwan’s independence.（2004/10/11 Financial Times）
◆【 Taiwan Calls for Talks with China】Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian used his National Day speech Sunday to call for peace talks with arch foe China and urge adoption of a system to prevent an outbreak of conflict in the narrow strait dividing them.In an about-face, Chen said the two sides should resume dialogue based on a 1992 understanding over interpretation of Beijing’s cherished “one China” principle, raising the prospect of breaking a five-year deadlock.
The Taiwan Strait has become one of Asia’s most dangerous flashpoints since Chen’s re-election in March. Communist-ruled China is convinced that Chen will push the island it sees as a rebel province toward formal statehood in his second four-year term — a move that Beijing has said would lead to war.
“In the long-term, both sides should formally end the state of hostility across the Taiwan Strait and establish confidence-building measures through consultations and dialogues,” Chen told thousands attending National Day festivities in front of the Presidential Office.
A lack of communication had caused misunderstanding and seen the island drift further apart from the mainland, he said.
Chen, who had long said his speech would contain a peace overture, took the opportunity to propose a resumption of talks with Beijing that have been frozen since 1999, saying he was ready to return to dialogue on the principles first agreed.
“I would like to take the initiative to propose that both sides use the basis of the 1992 meeting in Hong Kong, to seek possible schemes that are ‘not necessarily perfect but acceptable’, as preparation of a step forward in the resumption of dialogue and consultation,” he said.
Chen said his government was drafting a plan to facilitate charter flights to the mainland for passengers and cargo and hoped to discuss opening direct transport links.
Since their 1949 split at the end of China’s civil war, Beijing has regarded the self-ruled island as an inseparable part of the country that must be recovered, by force if necessary.
In a sign of the rise of the Taiwan identity, this year’s National Day celebrations featured folk performances by the island’s different ethnic groups.
A consensus in 1992 in which Beijing and Taipei agreed to hold its own interpretation of the “one China” principle paved the way for historic negotiations in Singapore.
Talks broke down in 1999 when then Taiwan president Lee Teng-hui redefined ties as “special state to state” relations, angering China by raising the prospect of an independent Taiwan.
Chen had rejected the 1992 agreement on grounds that there was no consensus and that both sides merely agreed to disagree.
Washington quickly welcomed Chen’s message as constructive, but Beijing said it was studying Chen’s comments.
Analysts were unimpressed.
“In reality, his so-called goodwill is still deception,” Xu Shiquan, one of China’s top Taiwan watchers, said. Xu added that Chen’s overture deviated from the 1992 consensus which dictates that mainland and offshore island are part of a single country.
It is almost impossible for Chen to strike a balance between Beijing, which is distrustful of his pro-independence leanings, and the president’s core supporters, who favor a permanent break with the mainland, analysts said.
“He made a compromise but has deliberately kept it vague. He hoped to please all sides and let them interpret what they want from his speech,” Taipei political scientist Emile Sheng said.
“But China will not agree to talk unless Chen makes clear his stance on ‘one China. He will also come under fire from pro-independence activists,” Sheng said.
In a conciliatory tone certain to anger his supporters, Chen said he was open to any form of political relations with China.
“The Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China — or Taiwan and China — can seek to establish political relations in any form whatsoever,” he said in his closely watched speech.
“We would not exclude any possibility, so long as there is the consent of the 23 million people of Taiwan,” Chen said.
Chen said both sides should seriously consider arms control and seek to establish a “code of conduct” as the tangible guarantee of permanent peace in the Taiwan Strait.
In a separate message earlier on Sunday, Chen urged support for a US$18 billion budget to buy advanced U.S. weapons, saying sufficient self-defense was vital to protect the status quo.
The Oct. 10 “Double-Tenth” national day marks the founding of the Republic of China after the Qing dynasty fell in 1911. The government of the republic, the Nationalist Party, fled to Taiwan after losing the civil war.
Chen swept to power in 2000, ending more than half a century of one-party Nationalist rule on the island. （2004/10/10 Reuters）
