Premier Su promises to move forward with liberalization of cross-strait links

        Premier Su Tseng-chang said June 1 that the government would "maximize liberalization of cross-strait exchanges," including relaxing regulations on Chinese tourists and regularizing cross-strait charter flights under a new "proactive management, effective opening" policy originally designed to govern Taiwanese foreign investment destined for China.

        Su made the remarks at a Dragon Boat Festival luncheon with taishang, or Taiwanese businesspeople who live and work in China. The luncheon was also attended by officials from the Mainland Affairs Council, the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Straits Exchange Foundation and the Chinese National Federation of Industries.

        The government has been eyeing an increase in the number of Chinese tourists to Taiwan since 2001, but China's refusal to negotiate with ROC officials has resulted in only limited progress, Su pointed out. Su explained that China has not yet included Taiwan on an official list of permitted destinations that PRC citizens are allowed to visit. He said that even though China announced a series of measures facilitating visits to Taiwan following former KMT Chairman Lien Chan's trip to China in April, no concrete actions have been taken by Beijing in this regard.

        Addressing the nearly 160 taishang at the meeting, Su said the move to ease the ban on cross-strait exchanges was based on current government policy, and not a revision of that policy. "Some people interpret this as my adjustment, but actually I have not adjusted anything. I am just doing the best I can, whatever's possible," the premier said.

        Under the framework of President Chen Shui-bian's "proactive management, effective opening" policy, Su said the government hopes to proceed more successfully on many issues, such as the opening of Taiwan to Chinese tourists, while emphasizing the principles of "Taiwan sovereignty" and "policy flexibility." Although the government must prepare for all possible scenarios after opening Taiwan to China, the premier said that Taiwan must also have confidence in its dealings with that country. "Taiwan has the confidence to allow Chinese tourists to visit. We would like them to see the democratic achievements of Taiwanese society," he said, adding, "There will be no need for an evening roll call for the tourists and there will be as few restrictions as possible." Su was referring to current limitations placed by the ROC government on Chinese tourists to prevent them from absconding en masse after entering Taiwan, as happened on several occasions in 2005. One restriction requires certain tour groups to check in every day with local police.

        Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Chairman Joseph Wu said on the same occasion that opening Taiwan to Chinese tourists and establishing regular passenger charter flights between Taiwan and China could be worked out in four or five months.

        The MAC, Ministry of Transportation and Communications and the Tourism Bureau have continued to communicate with agencies on the Chinese side on issues related to direct flights and Chinese tourists, said Wu. He characterized the atmosphere for bilateral negotiations as "good," and predicted that negotiators from the two sides would proceed to the negotiation table soon.

        Wu was given a round of applause when he said that bilateral negotiations on "the two issues are proceeding smoothly" and that "related work should be completed in four or five months." As a national economic conference on sustainable growth will be held next month, Wu said the government is keen to incorporate the views of taishang. "After a thorough review, the government will initiate more openings based on the principles of 'Taiwan sovereignty' and 'policy flexibility' following instructions by Su on cross-Taiwan Strait exchanges," he said, adding that "cross-Taiwan Strait passenger charter flights are mutually beneficial and should not be limited only to the Lunar New Year holiday season." Wu also expressed the hope of taking part in the June 8 start of ferry links between Kinmen Island and Quanzhou in China's Fujian Province--the third route of its kind after the ones linking Kinmen and Matsu with Fujian's Xiamen and Fuzhou.

        In April, the ROC Cabinet urged China to complete tourist and regular charter flight talks within six months. It signaled that Taiwan would begin welcoming Chinese tourists as soon as China lifts its ban on tourists visiting the island. MAC officials reiterated June 2 that Taiwan is ready to start talks with China at any time on opening up to Chinese tourists and setting up regular cross-strait charter passenger flights as soon as Chinese leaders give the nod.

        The MAC officials pointed out that the Travel Agent Association of the Republic of China is still the government-designated body authorized to negotiate with its Chinese counterpart, and that all the technical problems regarding the issues of Chinese tourists and regular cross-strait flights are almost solved.

        Officials have so far avoided giving a timeline for when representatives from the two sides could meet to wrap up negotiations, saying only, "the two measures could be put in place immediately once the Chinese side gives its approval." "It would be a good idea to create the two openings in September and October when there is a long vacation period in China," they concluded.