A Glorious Chapter in the Peaceful Development of Cross-Straits Relations

　　Liu Hong

　　

　　The visit to Taiwan by Chen Yunlin, President of the mainland’s Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits(ARATS), and the four agreements concluded during his meeting with the Taipei-based Straits Exchange Foundation(SEF) Chairman Chiang Pin-kung, marked a historical step toward cross-Straits relations and is significantly emblematic?of the normal operation of the institutionalized consultative mechanism between ARATS and SEF. As an important symbol?for the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations, the Chen-Chiang Talks and the four agreements jointly create a good vision for the mega-communication, mega-cooperation and mega-development?between both sides of the Taiwan Straits.

Chen’s visit to Taiwan comes after a nearly 60-year suspension of cross-Straits ties

　　ARATS President Chen Yunlin’s visit to Taiwan has been a hard-won achievement. Seen from the history of development of cross-Straits relations, this tour ensued after an almost 60-year suspension of cross-Straits ties and 15 years after the launch of the Wang-Koo Talks: the meeting in Singapore in 1993 between Wang Daohan, first ARATS President, and Koo Chen-fu, first SEF Chairman.

　　As early as the mid-1950s, the Chinese mainland began to call for reciprocal visits by representatives from both sides of the Taiwan Straits to launch negotiations on such issues as lifting the cross-Straits blockade, thawing of cross-strait relations?and resolution of the Taiwan question, but the Taiwan side invariably rejected these overtures. After the mainland side issued its “Message to Taiwan Compatriots” on January 1, 1979, the mainland further instituted a series of policies and measures, while talks in the professional fields began. In May 1986, civil aviation representatives from both sides of the Taiwan Straits conducted negotiations on the incident of the Taiwan-based China Airlines B198 cargo plane and reached an agreement thereon, and thus this became the first publicly convened discussion on specific issues by relevant departments from both sides of the Taiwan Straits. In September 1990, representatives from the mainland-based Red Cross Society of China and the Red Cross organization of Taiwan concluded the Kinmen Agreement, the first written agreement signed by nongovernmental organizations authorized by both sides of the Taiwan Straits. After the November 21, 1990 founding of SEF and the December 16, 1991 establishment of ARATS, talks between SEF and ARATS, and reciprocal visits by SEF and ARATS leaders came onto the agenda. After the two organizations reached the 1992 consensus during a November 1992 meeting in Hong Kong, the then ARATS President Wang Daohan and the then SEF Chairman Koo Chen-fu launched talks in Singapore, where they reached the four agreements. The talks between the leaders responsible for cross-Straits relations and exchanges marked a major historical step toward consolidation of cross-Straits relations. Thereafter, in the process of implementing the four agreements and resolving routine affairs emerging during exchanges of compatriots from both sides of the Taiwan Straits, ARATS offered an invitation in February 1994 to SEF Chairman Koo, requesting that he visit the mainland and open the second round of Wang-Koo Talks. Through many rounds of consultations, the two organizations decided to launch their talks in Beijing in July 1995. However, on the eve of Koo’s planned visit to the mainland, the then Taiwan leader Lee Teng-hui paid a visit to the United States in June 1995, engaging in separatist activities aimed at creating “two Chinas” and thereby severely impairing the basis for developing cross-Straits relations and poisoning the political atmosphere for consultations between ARATS and SEF. Accordingly, Koo Chen-fu postponed his visit to the mainland, which commenced its campaign against separatism and Taiwan independence.

　　In November 1997, after the mainland had realized its phased achievements in the first anti-Taiwan independence battle, the SEF, which had received an invitation from ARATS to visit the Chinese mainland, replied that Chairman Koo Chen-fu would visit the mainland to meet with ARATS President Wang Daohan. On February 24, 1998, ARATS dispatched a letter to SEF, affirming that SEF Chairman Koo Chen-fu would be welcome to make the trip. Afterwards, both organizations exchanged a spate of letters and telegrams, while the deputy secretary-generals from ARATS and SEF held meetings in Taipei and Beijing, with their preparations progressing smoothly. In a letter to SEF on September 14, 1998, ARATS suggested “the two organizations should open political dialogue as soon as possible, and make preparations for the procedural discussions?of cross-Straits political negotiations.” Koo paid a visit to the mainland between October 14 and 19, 1998 and reached a four-point consensus with ARATS President Wang Daohan. The first three points touched upon the specific content of cross-Straits exchanges, while the fourth point was an invitation to Wang Daohan to visit Taiwan. On July 9, 1999, Lee Teng-hui cook up the “two states” statement, flagrantly violated the 1992 consensus and seriously damaged the political basis for contacts, exchanges and dialogues between ARATS and SEF, forcing ARATS President Wang Daohan to postpone once again his planned visit to Taiwan and leading to the suspension of consultations between ARATS and SEF. The most deplorable circumstance of this affair was that both Koo Chen-fu and Wang Daohan subsequently succumbed to illness, in early and late 2005, respectively, and thus the second round of Wang-Koo Talks became nothing but a source of perpetual regret.

　　In March 2008, when the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT), won the election for Taiwan’s regional leadership, cross-Straits relations entered a period of strategic opportunity, and peace and development became the main current in cross-Straits relations. How to promote the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations and how to expand the exchange scope while elevating the exchange level needed urgent consultations between ARATS and SEF. As KMT candidate Ma Ying-jeou repeatedly stressed during the election campaign and after taking office, he endorsed the 1992 consensus and was willing to resume the negotiations between SEF and ARATS, and this thus became the political basis for both sides across the Straits to restart the negotiations. Chiang Pin-kung – a KMT Vice Chairman who had once acted as the head of the advance mission in arranging KMT Chairman Lien Chan’s visit to the mainland and establishing the forum between the KMT and the Communist Party of China (CPC) – visited the mainland in March 2005, and revisited the mainland in April 2008 to express his appreciation to Taiwan businesses investing on the mainland who voted for Ma Ying-jeou in the March 22 election. During this visit, the media disclosed that Chiang would serve as SEF Chairman. A week after Ma took office, Chiang took up his new post. On June 3, 2008, Chen Yunlin began to act as President of ARATS, a post that had been vacant for more than two years. By then, the time was ripe for?ARATS and SEF to resume their negotiations. Through mutual discussions, both sides decided that?ARATS and SEF should relaunch their negotiations in Beijing on June 11. On the third day of the ensuing negotiations, ARATS and SEF leaders signed two major agreements on weekend charter flights between the mainland and Taiwan, and on trips by mainland tourists to the island. Fifteen years after the Wang-Koo Talks, the leaders of ARATS and SEF not only sat down at the negotiating table, but also achieved significant results. Afterwards, arranging Chen’s visit to Taiwan became the working agenda of the two main negotiating teams. Due to the occurrence of major changes in Taiwan’s political environment, Chen’s trip to Taiwan was unimpeded by such conditions as were imposed when Lee Teng-hui twice blocked the then ARATS President Wang Daohan from his visit to Taiwan and Chen Shui-bian?negated the 1992 consensus in an effort to obstruct the resumption of talks?between ARATS and SEF, and the trip to Taiwan by ARATS President. The Taiwan independence camp could only openly oppose the Taiwan tour by Chen Yunlin, and they even went so far as to stage the violent attack?on Zhang Mingqing, Dean of the School of Journalism at Xiamen University and also Vice President of ARATS, on October 21 as a means of intimidation. Though nine times the Yellow River turns and twists, in the end no force its eastern flow resists. Whether viewed from the standpoint of Taiwan public opinion and social needs, or from the angle of development of cross-Straits relations, Chen’s visit to Taiwan turned out to be a positive affair, and the Chen-Chiang Talks have helped to propel forward the tide of peaceful development of cross-Straits relations to a new high-water mark.

　　On November 3, ARATS President Chen eventually arrived on Taiwan Island. The visit finally came after cross-Straits relations had borne witness to 60 turns of the spring and autumn cycle, and the ship of exchanges had charted its parlous course across the Straits over 30 years of storm and rain. ARATS and SEF concluded arrangements such as the Wang-Koo Talks, Wang-Koo Meeting and Chen-Chiang Talks, and cross-Straits relations had finally entered a stage of peaceful development several years after illness claimed the founders of ARATS-SEF negotiations, Wang Daohan and Koo Chen-fu.

Major moves in the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations

　　The significance of ARATS President Chen Yunlin’s visit to Taiwan went far beyond the framework of the four agreements itself. As leaders of the two main negotiating bodies shouldering the heavy task of promoting the advancement of cross-Straits relations, expanding and enhancing the scope and level of cross-Straits exchanges and realizing the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations, Chen Yunlin and Chiang Pin-kung met for the first time at a special location and moment in Taipei, thus heralding a good start?to the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations. Shouldering special tasks and gathering for this special meeting, the fruits of their talks will be of far-reaching historical and practical significance.

　　First, they enjoyed good foundations; these consisted of historical documents and records empowering ARATS and SEF to conduct negotiations on the basis of the 1992 consensus. In March 1992, shortly after their establishment, the two main negotiating bodies began their first working consultations. When meeting in Hong Kong in October 1992, SEF representatives also drafted five types of written outlines of plans and three types of oral plans in succession, in consultation with ARATS delegates. They finally arrived at the by now familiar 1992 consensus. What deserves mention is that, before and after conclusion of the 1992 consensus, Ma Ying-jeou served as Vice Chairman of the “Mainland Affairs Council,” directly participating in and guiding the negotiation and confirmation work of the 1992 consensus, which provided the political basis for ARATS and SEF to conduct their consultations on routine affairs. In April 1993, both sides arranged the Wang-Koo Talks and after 17 rounds of consultations, ARATS and SEF hosted the Wang-Koo Meeting in Shanghai in October 1998. The resumption of negotiations between ARATS and SEF in June 2008 and the fruitful achievements derived from the recent second round of Chen-Chiang Talks in Taipei demonstrate that the 1992 consensus has crystallized into the basic principles of ARATS and SEF, and now forms the political basis for both sides of the Taiwan Straits to deepen mutual trust, while providing political guarantees for an institutionalized consultative mechanism between ARATS and SEF.

　　Second, there existed a favorable mechanism. Under the prevailing circumstances wherein agreements on the political position of both sides of the Taiwan Straits, on ending the state of cross-Straits hostilities and on peace remain unsigned, and cross-Straits relations still lacked efficient guaranteeing mechanisms, this meant that variable factors still existed. This circumstance rendered it imperative to initiate a normal, regular and institutionalized mechanism for dialogue. Viewed from the reality of cross-Straits exchanges, work needed promotion, exchanges required development, issues demanded resolution and a crisis had to be eased, so an institutionalized consultative mechanism between ARATS and SEF thus became of vital importance. From the standpoint of the negotiations themselves, the two Chen-Chiang Talks demonstrate that cross-Straits affairs can be definitively resolved by both sides through consultations, and that direct dialogue between Beijing and Taipei is the shortest and best route between the two sides. The two Chen-Chiang Talks differed from the past negotiation modes of NGO-to-NGO and repeated delegation of power to negotiate on behalf of government in that supervising officials in the professional spheres of the two main negotiating bodies were directly present at the negotiating table as advisors to ARATS and SEF, and were thus able to achieve a rectification of negotiating procedures. Thus, ARATS and SEF have set up a pragmatic, highly efficient and decisive?mechanism for systemized consultations, completing the construction of systemic guarantees essential to the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations.

　　The four agreements inked during the Chen-Chiang Talks marked a major breakthrough in the previous mini three links, or direct postal, transportation and trade links; they will render cross-Straits exchanges more convenient, bring handsome economic and social benefits to Taiwan’s society and economy and become the driving force for the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations. A major breakthrough also came in direct shipping links. As for maritime shipping, on the basis of direct shipping between fixed points and offshore transshipment centers initiated in April 1997, and the mini three links initiated in early 2001, three major breakthroughs were made in that expedient or charter ships may now sail directly across the Taiwan Straits, most ports on both sides of the Taiwan Straits will open to these directly-sailing ships and low-cost passenger ferry services will also be provided. Fuel costs, wear and tear, depreciation, depletion and fees for passenger and cargo ships will drop significantly, thus conferring immense business opportunities on people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits.

　　As for direct flight, four major breakthroughs came in the straightening of the air route and opening up of regular passenger charter flights, with additional destinations to be added in times of need and the inauguration of cargo charter flights. While providing great convenience for cross-Straits airfreight and the creation of a one-day return cycle and passenger transportation, these initiatives will also offer unlimited commercial opportunities. In general,?the change in the transportation modalities of charter flights and charter ships will cause huge economic benefits?to accrue to Taiwan. With regard to Taiwan-based agricultural and livestock products sold on the mainland, the transport time for these will lessen from the present eight days to four days, and accordingly, their shelf life on the mainland will be extended an extra four days, while compared to those before the initiation of direct transport, transport costs will shrink from 15% to 30%, and transport losses will decline from 15% to 5%. Some in Taiwan in a position to know have revealed that?both the direct flight and the agricultural products sold on the mainland will help increase the income of Taiwan-based farmers by more than 15%. The opening of charter flights and charter ships will also bring enormous convenience to cross-Straits direct postal services. According to the Cross-Straits Direct Postal Agreement signed at the Chen-Chiang Talks, mail services including letters and parcels, will also be straightened out and mailed items no longer need travel via Hong Kong or Macao. The mails, carried by charter flights, will transit through the 13 newly added distribution bureaus on both sides of the Taiwan Straits. The travel time for an ordinary letter, which took five or seven days in the past, will be cut by half, while express mail, which previously needed more than five days to reach its destination, can now arrive on the afternoon of the same day or the following day if sent in the morning. The signing of the agreement on food security and safety is aimed at setting an example for the introduction of necessary laws and regulations?in the various fields of exchange, and will be conducive to regulating the exchange order and quality, and safeguarding the normal operation of exchanges.
　
　　The signing of the four agreements demonstrates that the three direct links across the Taiwan Straits have been realized in the process?of actual operation, and all that is left over for the comprehensive three direct links mainly relates to political-level content. The signing of the four agreements will not only bring opportunities for the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations and serve as an effective measure in jointly warding off the global financial crisis, but will also boost cross-Straits exchanges to a new acme.