Taipei, Sept. 5 (CNA) Relations between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait are now in a "cold storage" stage, a senior mainland affairs official said Tuesday.
Chen Ming-tung, vice chairman of the Cabinet-level Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), which charts Taiwan's policy toward mainland China, made the remarks in a speech delivered at a diplomatic studies class organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for young professionals interested in helping promote Taiwan's foreign relations.
Chen said the current state of cross-strait relations can be described as "on a summer vacation," as mainland China has no intention of creating any ripples in the Taiwan Strait.
"Mainland China has two reasons for putting cross-strait ties in `cold storage,'" Chen said. For one thing, mainland China needs a peaceful, stable environment to develop its economy.
Moreover, he went on, mainland China would not like to see cross-strait ties become a hot topic in the current US presidential campaign.
Following this "cold storage" stage, Chen said, cross-strait relations could face three possible scenarios -- a worsening of relations, a resumption of talks, or continued deadlock.
"Finding ways to cope with each possible development will be a tough challenge for our new government," Chen said.
He pointed out that if mainland China is disappointed by ROC President Chen Shui-bian's pro-independence attitude, cross-strait relations could worsen and become as strained as the situation that followed former President Lee Teng-hui's 1995 US visit or his 1999 announcement that cross-strait ties should be on a "special state-to-state" basis.
On the other hand, Chen continued, if mainland China comes to perceive that the president has halted any pro-independence movement and is sincerely promoting cross-strait rapprochement, the two sides may be able to reach a tacit agreement on shelving the thorny sovereignty dispute and resume dialogue.
Meanwhile, Chen said, mainland China is also likely to stick to its cherished "one China" principle and block any attempt to seek a breakthrough to the long-stalled cross-strait ties. By so doing, Chen said, mainland China could hinder President Chen's re-election bid.
Chen said the new ROC government is now mulling the possible developments following the "cold storage" stage and is also working on effective strategies to cope with any new scenario in cross-strait ties.
"So far, President Chen has adopted a soft approach and has responded to Beijing's moves with appeals for goodwill, cooperation and peace," Chen noted. (By Sofia Wu)
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