"I declare that the issue be categorized under `other opinions.'"
This was the most common conclusion made during the two-day Conference on Sustaining Taiwan's Economic Development.
Issues that failed to reach agreement at the conference were put into the "other opinions" category, meaning they have been kicked back to the authorities. The category, however, quickly piled up with major or controversial issues on which industries or private groups hoped to see a breakthrough during the conference.
Under the cover of "economic development," the Conference on Sustaining Taiwan's Economic Development was nothing more than a show of political leverage produced by the Cabinet.
Like the Economic Development Advisory Conference in 2001, when President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) tried to consolidate his power and create a conciliatory mood between the ruling and opposition parties, this time Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) was also keen to get rid of the image of a lame duck premier through the conference, after President Chen announced last month that he would relinquish some of his power and leave all Cabinet-related matters to the premier.
But instead of finding a new ground for his governance, Su may found himself stuck between the distrust from industries and a boycott from the Taiwan Solidarity Union and environmental groups even before the conference closed yesterday.
Five years ago, Chen won approval from the local business community by revising the cross-strait policy from former president Lee Teng-hui's (李登輝) "go slow, be patient" to "active opening, effective management" after the Economic Development Advisory Conference.
But five years have passed by, and consensuses made during the conference include direct investment in China, direct cross-strait transportation, allowing Chinese tourists to visit, lifting the ban on Chinese investment and others liberalizations that businesses have eagerly looked forward are still intact.
The government's constant slogan of "boost economy" without implementing concrete policies has worn out industries' patience and expectations, especially when Chen switched his economic priority to "active management, effective opening" at the beginning of the year.
Industrial representatives made little effort to hide their dissatisfaction and disappointment over the past two days at the conference. They entered the meeting venue with glum faces and admitted that they did not pin any hopes on the conference. In the two to three minutes that participants were allowed to express their opinions, most of them vented anger, frustration or remained silent -- if they hadn't dozed off in their seats.
"We are not satisfied with the conference, but there is nothing we can do but accept it," Gary Wang (王令麟), chairman of the General Chamber of Commerce, said during the conference's industry panel.
Another industry representative even said that because the government has turned a deaf ear to suggestions they have made year after year, "there is no reason for us to believe that they will listen this time." Their doubt could also be seen from procedures. Instead of following the majority, an issue was put into the "other opinions" classification as long as one participant expressed a dissenting view.
In other words, the government or any party could block any issue they wanted and allow the efforts of the previous preparatory meetings to be ignored.
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