The political baggage of the past must be cast aside and new modes of thinking embraced in order to keep cross-strait relations on a positive development track for the benefit of the people of both sides and throughout the region, according to Mainland Affairs Council Minister Chang Hsiao-yueh Nov. 15.
Extending maximum goodwill and safeguarding the stable development of ties between Taiwan and mainland China remain the cornerstones of the government’s cross-strait policy, Chang said. This commitment will not change, nor will there be a return to the old path of confrontation or a yielding to pressure, she added.
According to the minster, forward-looking thinking and mutually beneficial cooperation should be the watchwords in cross-strait ties. This way, the views of the people of Taiwan can be respected and understood by mainland China on the road to reaching win-win outcomes, she said.
Chang made the remarks during a speech at the opening of an international conference in Taipei City on the Chinese Communist Party’s recent congress. Organized by locally headquartered think tank Chinese Council of Advanced Policy Studies with the support of the MAC, the two-day event involves around 150 academics and analysts from home and abroad.
The minister said the timing of the conference is significant as this year marks the 30th anniversary of the opening of cross-strait exchanges. In 1987, the government took the landmark step of lifting the ban on Republic of China (Taiwan) nationals visiting mainland China. This created opportunities for facilitating mutual understanding in areas like academia, culture and economy.
It is deeply regrettable that these people-to-people exchanges were restricted by Beijing after President Tsai Ing-wen took office May 20, 2016, Chang said, adding that Taiwan is also facing ongoing diplomatic and military pressure from mainland China.
Such measures have slowed the breaking down of psychological barriers between the two sides, the minister said, and also put a damper on private sector exchanges.
According to Chang, the government hopes to see a more democratic, open and prosperous mainland China, and related reforms should be accompanied by a shouldering of the responsibility to maintaining peace and stability on the regional and global stage.
As changes in mainland China are closely linked to the future of the Asia-Pacific and the rest of the world, the international community is obligated to exert influence in ensuring the principles of freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law take root on the other side of the strait, she said. (KWS-E)
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