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Mainland Policy and the Current State of Cross-strait Relations: The Republic of China's Stance and Approach June 1998

• The intention of the authorities of the People's Republic of China to annex the Republic of China lies at the heart of the cross-strait conflict.
• The authorities of the People's Republic of China deliberately create tension and instability in the Taiwan Strait.
• The government of the Republic of China endeavors to ease cross-strait tension.
• The blueprint of the ROC government calls for the re-establishment of a responsible new China that can contribute to the world.

    In the latter half of April 1998, one of the deputy secretaries-general of Taipei's Straits Exchange Foundation led a delegation to Peking to visit their mainland counterparts from the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits and resume cross-strait consultations that had been suspended for nearly three years. On the eve of US President Bill Clinton's visit to the Chinese mainland to meet with PRC President Jiang Zemin at the end of June, the issue of Taiwan and the mainland has once again emerged as the focus of world attention. At this juncture in cross-strait relations, the ROC government would like to explain a number of fundamental problems at the current stage of cross-strait relations. These explanations can serve as a reference for those concerned about cross-strait issues. 
 
The intention of the authorities of the People's Republic of China to annex the Republic of China lies at the heart of the cross-strait conflict. 
    What is the origin of the severe tension that characterizes relations across the Taiwan Strait? The primary source has always been the unchanging goal of the People's Republic of China to annex the Republic of China and the PRC's stubborn refusal to renounce the use of force to settle the issue. 
    In fact, China as a nation has a historical heritage that stretches back through the centuries. However, since 1949, Taiwan and the Chinese mainland have been separately governed. This situation has continued for five decades. From a historical point of view, both Taiwan and the mainland have their roots in a single China. However, the oft-repeated "one China" actually refers to "one separately ruled China" that has existed since 1949. In other words, two equal political entities have grown out of one original China: One is the Republic of China that was founded in 1912 and exercises jurisdiction over the Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu area, and the other is the People's Republic of China that was established in 1949 and administers the mainland area. Each conducts its own foreign affairs, exercises legal jurisdiction, implements administrative policies and enjoys economic autonomy. Neither is subordinate to the other. The reality is that Taipei and Peking coexist in the international community and both are participants in international activities. 
    The PRC leadership asserts that there is only one China in the world, Taiwan is part of China, and the PRC government is the sole government that can legitimately represent China. This is merely a game of words. The PRC insists on acting as a central government dealing with a local government in an attempt to deny an equal standing for the ROC and further its position that it has sovereign power over Taiwan. In order to achieve its goal, Peking has made it clear that it will not hesitate to resort to non-peaceful means. The Republic of China, on the other hand, advocates peaceful coexistence between the two sides and the mutual promotion of bilateral relations through peaceful competition and cooperation. 
    In order to resolve grave differences of opinion over the meaning of "one China," representatives of the two sides reached consensus in November 1992 that each side would be allowed its own interpretation. In other words, Taipei and Peking agreed to disagree, a conclusion quite suited to the current situation in the Taiwan Strait. It was based on this consensus that the two sides held the Koo-Wang talks in Singapore in April 1993. These talks produced agreements on a system of periodic consultations across the strait. Thus, it is apparent that as long as both sides live up to all agreements and consensuses reached, existing differences in opinion do not constitute a threat to stability. It is all the more unfortunate, therefore, that the PRC does not do so. 
 
The PRC takes an unsettling approach. 
    The PRC has always maintained that the Republic of China does not exist. Although it does not have jurisdiction over Taiwan, Peking nevertheless insists that the island is under its rule. The mainland leadership feels free to take destabilizing actions as a means of coercing the international community and the ROC government into accepting its fallacious interpretation of reality. First, over the past several decades it has carried out a ruthless campaign to completely bar the ROC from participating in multilateral and bilateral activities, whether private-sector or intergovernmental, economic, cultural, athletic, academic, or political. It has also stigmatized the efforts of the ROC government and people to participate in international activities as creating "two Chinas," or "one China and one Taiwan." In fact, with such charges Peking merely seeks to rationalize and legitimize its unreasonable actions. 
    Second, while the ROC government seeks opportunities to play a role in the global community and further democratic progress, the PRC engages in risky military adventurism and coercive interference in ROC diplomacy. While countries around the globe express concern and urge Taiwan and the mainland to seek a peaceful resolution to the cross-strait issue, Peking refuses to abandon the option of force and accuses these countries of conjuring up a "China threat" and interfering in China's internal affairs. At the same time, it does not plan in any way to assume responsibility for creating tension in the region. 
    Third, dialogues and consultations have already emerged as the ideal tools for resolving disputes in civilized society. In April 1993, agreements were signed between Taipei and Peking, the two having reached consensus on the rules for regular consultations. However, beginning in June 1995, the PRC refused to honor these agreements and unilaterally cut off all channels of communication between the two sides. Ignoring continuous calls by the ROC government and the international community for the resumption of cross-strait consultations, Peking took advantage of the break to escalate tension in the Taiwan Strait. Indeed, the Cold War having only just ended throughout the rest of the world, the PRC has lost no time in launching another in the Taiwan Strait. 
 
The government of the Republic of China endeavors to ease cross-strait tension. 
    The ROC government has always been committed to the pursuit of China's reunification under a system of democracy, freedom, and equitable prosperity, and has long adhered to a "one China" principle. The ROC's position demonstrates that it is willing to continue its drive for a unified and democratic China. However, this does not mean that the ROC will be represented by the People's Republic of China. After all, the People's Republic of China is not qualified to represent all Chinese. 
    In order to achieve the goal of national reunification, the ROC government passed more than 200 executive orders over the past decade to open up private-sector exchanges between the two sides. During this time, the people of the two sides have exchanged over ten million visits and more than 100 million letters. Over 400 million phone calls have also been made. The ROC government hopes to further bilateral exchanges and enhance mutual understanding between Taiwan and the Chinese mainland in order to lay a solid foundation for the gradual merging of the two societies in the future. 
    Although the People's Republic of China also calls for China's reunification, it demands that the ROC government be downgraded to a local one before China is unified. It also denies the democratic rights and interests of ROC citizens. Therefore, the People's Republic of China hopes to adopt a step-by-step approach. It first demands that the ROC government accept its definition of "one China." Then, it can demand that the ROC accept its "one country, two systems" formula, so that the People's Republic of China will be able to step in and rule the Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu area just as it did in Hong Kong. The ROC government would then cease to exist. As for exchanges between the people of the two sides, Peking has constantly politicized such contacts, adopting measures to obstruct and even prohibit them. This has prevented exchanges between the people on the two sides from developing normally. 
 
Public opinion in the Taiwan area opposes the policies and measures of the People's Republic of China. 
    Public opinion polls conducted in the Taiwan area show that disapproval of Peking's "one country, two systems" model for dealing with cross-strait relations has always remained above 70 percent. The people of Taiwan reject being ruled by the People's Republic of China because it is built upon a one-party communist dictatorship rather than democratic elections. Polls also indicate that over 70 percent of the people in the Taiwan area are not satisfied with the current situation the ROC faces in the international community, and over 80 percent agree that the ROC should expand participation in international activities. Even in the case that the PRC disapproves of such efforts to the point that cross-strait relations are affected, approximately 70 percent still support the continued development of foreign relations. 
    In light of public opinion, it is clear that the great majority of people in the Taiwan area aspire keenly to secure the basic rights of long-term survival and development, and are determined to strive for them. Indeed, in a democratic system, this is simply a reasonable request for the most basic human rights. Anxious efforts on the part of the PRC recently to convince the international community that Taiwan is provoking the PRC, or that Taiwan is a troublemaker, only attest to the fact that Peking continues to resist the development of democracy and has no respect for basic human rights. 
 
Prospects for cross-strait relations 
    What are the prospects for cross-strait relations? In 1991, the ROC government formulated a concrete blueprint, the Guidelines for National Unification. The guidelines outline three phases--short-, mid-, and long-term--for achieving the step-by-step reunification of China under the principles of freedom, democracy and equitable prosperity. Simply put, the strategy seeks to promote China's reunification while at the same time transforming China into a democratic, free and equitably prosperous new nation, both more mature and more able to contribute to the international community. In order to attain the goal, the ROC has been actively promoting through peaceful and democratic means the establishment of an interactive order conducive to the long-term stability in the Taiwan Strait. Also in 1991, the ROC government, in amending the Constitution, announced the adoption of a peaceful approach to achieving national reunification. The ROC also called upon the mainland authorities to adopt similar measures and announce to the international community their commitment and sincerity to abandoning the option of military force. We believe that the best time for holding consultations on working together to build a durable order for peaceful interaction is when both Taipei and Peking share the same intentions. Only then can the world expect both sides to honor the results of such consultations. 
    On the contrary, the PRC claims that the Taiwan area must first accept its autocratic rule. As for what sort of system the Chinese people on the two sides will live under and what way of life they will have, there will be no choice but to accept the dictates of the Chinese Communist Party. Under such a system, fundamental human rights and opportunities for the pursuit of dreams are not inherent but privileges bestowed by the CCP. Furthermore, the development of democracy on the Chinese mainland would be retarded or stalled if China were unified according to Peking's "one country, two systems" formula. A unified but undemocratic China would only become a burden to the world and humanity. The ROC government and the people of the Taiwan area will not accept this type of proposal from the PRC. 
    It must be pointed out that the fundamental attitude of the ROC government has always been to peacefully resolve all cross-strait disputes through consultations conducted on an equal footing. We firmly oppose the PRC's repeated use of force to resolve issues between the two sides without considering the peace and stability of the East Asian region. 
    The ROC government has repeatedly emphasized that its participation in the international community does not challenge the existing interests of the People's Republic of China. In order to secure its own existence and development, the ROC must often remind the international community of the fallacy of Peking's argument. The ROC must also strive for the necessary space internationally to ensure reasonable existence and development. Taipei vigorously maintains that the two sides must not try to exclude each other from the international community, but should instead help each other, sharing rights and responsibilities. As for bilateral interaction, the two sides should avoid the use of force and instead apply the principle of reason, peace, reciprocity, and mutual benefit to improve the cross-strait relationship step by step and advance toward the goal of uniting China under freedom, democracy, and equitable prosperity. Only by so doing can Taipei and Peking bring the greatest possible prosperity to the people of both sides and contribute to the long-term peace and stability of the East Asian region. 
    The ROC government and the 21.6 million residents of the Taiwan area are committed to peaceful and rational methods in conducting long-term interaction with the Chinese mainland. The two sides of the Taiwan Strait have developed extensive contacts at all levels, including trade, investment, academic and cultural exchanges. These exchanges represent the most positive choice for the people on both sides as well as the whole of East Asia. The PRC's repeated military threats and zero-sum diplomatic maneuvers aimed at the ROC have caused innumerable problems for the international community. Furthermore, Peking's inability to abide by and fulfill the agreements it has signed with Taipei has introduced uncertainty into the future of cross-strait relations. If the PRC adopts a more pragmatic attitude and faces up to the seriousness of this problem, and then makes a sincere effort at self-examination and improvement, the ROC government will welcome its return to the negotiating table. The ROC is also willing to fulfill, through reciprocal and peaceful means and long-term interaction, its responsibility for the positive development of mutually beneficial cross-strait relations. 
 

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