Taipei, Feb. 17 (CNA) Ruling Kuomintang presidential candidate Lien Chan unveiled his campaign platform for relations across the Taiwan Strait on Thursday, promising to catapult cross-strait ties into a "medium range" stage if he manages to win presidency.
Lien, also a KMT vice chairman, expounded his cross-strait ties-related campaign platform at a meeting of the party's mainland China affairs guidance task force which Lien himself heads.
Lien, who doubles as the country's incumbent vice president, said if he wins the March 18 presidential election and mainland President Jiang Zemin takes concrete action to show goodwill toward Taiwan, he will endeavor to usher in a new era of cross-strait cooperation in line with the government's National Unification Guidelines.
According to the unification guidelines, the "medium range" stage of the development of cross-strait relations will be characterized by cross-strait cooperation based on mutual trust and the establishment of a peaceful competitive relationship.
Lien especially mentioned that President Lee Teng-hui's definition of cross-strait ties as a "special state-to-state relationship" last July is a pragmatic move to define the Republic of China's status.
"The definition affirms political realities on both sides of the Taiwan Strait and also exactly complies with legal facts that the two sides have been separately ruled and not subject to each other's jurisdiction since 1949," Lien noted, adding that Beijing should not interpret it as a move to promote Taiwan independence.
He recalled that the late President Chiang Ching-kuo took the initiative to allow Taiwan people to visit relatives on the mainland back in 1987, marking the beginning of civilian cross-strait exchanges.
And in 1991, Lien said, President Lee announced the termination of the Period of National Mobilization for Suppression of Communist Rebellion, a move that opened the door for cross-strait negotiations and further interaction.
However, Lien said, Beijing has unilaterally suspended regular cross-strait dialogue a few years ago. In the face of the dawn of a new millennium and a new environment, Lien said he sees an urgent need to take new initiative to break the current cross-strait impasse.
"While safeguarding the well-being of our people, we should also take action to help boost common interests and benefits of both sides of the Taiwan Strait," Lien said.
Noting that the two sides should not continue trapping themselves in a plight of mutual confrontation or animosity, Lien said Taiwan and mainland China should work together based on the principles of "three noes" and "three wants."
Lien explained that the "three noes" refer to "no unification, no independence and no confrontation" while the "three wants" refer to seeking "peace, exchanges and win-win strategy."
Lien stressed that Taiwan's successful democratization has nurture Taiwan people's self-confidence and a strong sense of "being their own master."
"As the mainstream common sense among local people is to sustain national survival and development, our mainland policy will be meaningful only when it can help realize the goal of upgrading Taiwan's interests and boosting cross-strait rapprochement," Lien said, adding he hopes in the new century, there will be no war in the Taiwan Strait and that Chinese will help Chinese.
Lien then outlines 10 concrete measures that he, if elected, will adopt to forge closer cross-strait exchanges and cooperation.
First of all, Lien said he will push for top mainland envoy Wang Daohan to visit Taiwan. "We'll also use Wang's visit as a start to pave the way for a meeting between the top leaders of both sides of the Taiwan Strait which we hope will eventually lead to the establishment of a framework for regular cross-strait summit," he explained.
Other measures cited by Lien included:
-- the establishment of parallel official dialogue channels to facilitate cross-strait cooperation and settlement of bilateral issues;
-- easing restrictions on cross-strait investment and trade in line with the regulations of the World Trade Organization and negotiating issues related to the opening of direct postal, trade and transportation links;
-- expanding the functions of the "offshore cross-strait transshipment center," and pushing for the establishment of a "Kinmen-Matsu-Fujian peace zone" by negotiating with the mainland for the opening of direct trade and shipping services between Taiwan-held Kinmen and Matsu islands and mainland China's southeastern coastal area;
-- discussing ways for both sides to take part in international organizations and activities and jointly promote regional economic cooperation and financial stability in the Asia-Pacific;
-- pushing for the establishment of a mechanism for cross-strait military exchanges, including exchanges of visits by servicemen, exchanges of information concerning military exercises and installation of a "hotline" for convenient communications between top leaders on both sides;
-- signing of a cross-strait peace agreement to mark a formal end to bilateral hostility and the inauguration of a "Taiwan Strait peace zone";
-- promoting exchanges of experience in democratic reforms and economic development in order to narrow the gap between civil rights and lifestyles;
-- establishing an institutionalized framework for cross-strait interchanges and seriously discussing effective measures to resolve problems arising from increased cross-strait civilian exchanges; and
-- signing a cross-strait investment guarantee agreement to better protect legitimate rights and interests of Taiwan investors in mainland China. (By Sofia Wu)
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