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Cross-strait peace relies on goodwill from China

On Oct. 4, the TAIEX rose above the 6,000-point barrier -- moving up 132.61 points to close at 6,077.96 -- its highest level in more than four months.

Although the jump was related to the performance of overseas stock markets, both local and foreign investors are asking: What message will President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) deliver on Double Ten Day?

Can this "important National Day speech on cross-strait relations," as referred to by Chen a few days ago, promote normal relations with communist China, and ensure Taiwan's future security?

Cross-strait relations have been made worse by Premier Yu Shyi-kun's comments on keeping a "balance of terror" across the Taiwan Strait, and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mark Chen's (陳唐山) portrayal of Singapore as a piece of snot, a well as his condemnation that the city-state is embracing China's lan pa (testicles) to curry favor with Beijing.

But so far, Chen Shui-bian has not been involved in this war of words.

On the contrary, he has assured us that he will make a "positive and constructive" National Day speech in the hope of easing cross-strait tensions and promoting pragmatic cross-strait relations.

It seems that he is now ready to build peaceful and stable cross-strait relations as he promised during his presidential campaign, as well as in his inauguration speech.

At this time, we should adopt new thinking to find common ground between Chen's May 20 inauguration speech and the March 17 statement made by China's Taiwan Affairs Office.

Why don't we make "peace and development" the new paradigm for cross-strait relations? If this is desirable to the Chinese people and leadership and the international community, then perhaps this should be the standard for examining all cross-strait interactions. We should speak and do whatever is good for peaceful development in the Taiwan Strait.

Meanwhile, our officials should not say or do things that injure this development. Thus, "peace and development" should be a privilege enjoyed

by the people on both sides of

the Strait and an unshakable responsibility of the two governments and even the world.

Since mutual trust has been absent in cross-strait relations, when either of the two sides expresses goodwill, it usually dies away after one side's words or deeds are not to the liking of the other side.

Each side is suspicious of the other, and often responds to perceived hostility without thinking. This is the reality

of the current cross-strait

situation.

I believe that, based on mutual trust, the two sides have to realize that any goodwill must be expressed on the basis of continuity, consistency and feasibility if we do not want the goodwill to die away.

Any goodwill that is shown but not reciprocated can hardly be effective.

Goodwill must also be pragmatic, rather than an empty gesture. Each side can act pragmatically in its own right, making this the first step for the other to reflect on its own need for goodwill.

I look forward to Chen's speech. I would also like to call on all government agencies to prepare for complementary measures to promote cross-strait development based on Chen's words.

Further, I urge Beijing to seize the opportunity. Do not spoil the seed of peaceful development with suspicion.

Andy Chang is a professor in the Graduate Institute of China Studies at Tamkang University.

TRANSLATED BY EDDY CHANG
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