Shippers up for resolvinglinks issues

As hopes dim that transportation links across the Strait will be established soon after Taiwan joins China as a member of the WTO, local shipping firms are offering to help move the issue forward through private channels.

"The problem of opening direct cross-strait links involves too many intractable political issues between the two sides," said Chen Hsiu-man (陳秀滿), spokeswoman for Yang Ming Marine Corp (陽明海運), the second-largest shipping firm in Taiwan behind the Evergreen Group (長榮集團).

"While the problem remains unresolved, our costs remain high due to the necessity of transporting goods to China via a third port," she said.

The company's spokeswoman confirmed that Yang Ming president Chen Ting-hui (陳庭輝), who is also head of the Taiwan Straits Shipping Association (台灣海峽兩岸航運協會), is eager to aid the government in forging direct links with China.

The association in many ways has already taken the lead in forging closers ties with shippers on the other side of the Strait.

The latest in a string of meetings between industry groups was held in September, when Taiwan executives and Chinese officials met to discuss technical issues related to shipping.

A local media report cited Chen as saying that he hoped to get the opportunity to serve the government in helping to resolve non-governmental issues related to cross-strait shipping.

Chen said that the possibility of dealing with the issue under the auspices of the WTO would be low, according to the reports.

Observers and industry leaders had hoped that entry into the world trade body by both sides would lead to closer direct economic integration.

At the Shenzen meeting, however, Hong Shanxiang (洪善祥), China's Vice Minister of Communications, said links should be considered "domestic" in nature. Other Chinese officials insisted that ties be establishe under their "one China" principle.

These sticking points -- combined with the recent election victory of the DPP -- have dimmed hopes for progress on the links issue anytime soon.

According to Joseph Wu (吳釗燮), deputy director of the Institute of International Relations at National Chengchi University, now that the DPP controls the most seats in the legislature, the party is under less pressure and has more room to implement cross-strait reforms at its own pace.

But until Beijing eases its insistence on tagging ties as domestic routes and the "one China" precondition for talks, chances for dialogue on links remain slim.

"Things won't move forward until China shows some flexibility," Wu said.