• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Cross-strait relations not 'state-to-state:' Presidential Office

ROC Central News Agency

08/09/03 22:25:27

Taipei, Sept. 3 (CNA) The Republic of China Constitution defines the two sides of the Taiwan Strait separately as the "free area" and the "Chinese mainland area" -- namely the Taiwan area and the mainland -- therefore, no "state-to-state" links exist between Taiwan and China, Presidential Office spokesman Wang Yu-chi said Wednesday.

Expanding on President Ma Ying-jeou's reference to cross-strait ties as a type of "special relations," Wang told the press that the relations between Taiwan and China are not the kind that exist between two states or between a central government and local government, but rather between the Taiwan area and the mainland.

Wang explained that Ma made the comment in an interview with the leading Mexican daily Sol de Mexico based on additional articles of the Constitution, which stipulate that "rights and obligations between the people of the Chinese mainland area and those of the free area, and the disposition of other related affairs may be specified by law."

Under the Constitution, Wang noted, the ROC is the free area, also called the Taiwan area which covers Taiwan proper and several outlying islands including Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu. On the other side is the mainland area, he added.

Wang said Taiwan and the Chinese mainland are two areas with separate ruling authorities. "We are the Taiwan authorities, and they are the mainland authorities."

This is how the government defines the special relations between the two sides, Wang stressed.

In the Aug. 26 interview, President Ma said he does not think there are "two Chinas" across the strait because neither the ROC nor the People's Republic of China allows, in either constitution, for the existence of another country on its territory.

Under these circumstances, it is impossible for either of the two sides to obtain dual recognition by other countries, Ma said. (By Elizabeth Hsu) ENDITEM /pc