Editorial: Beijing's offer short on substance

On Friday, Beijing's National Tourism Administration announced a plan to lift restrictions on tourist travel to Taiwan and said it hoped to engage in negotiations through the model used for the Lunar New Year charter flights.

At first glance, this may appear to be a "generous gift" from China -- at least that is the way that Beijing and some groups within Taiwan would like to portray the move. However, a closer look reveals that this will most likely not bring the kind of benefits that the people of Taiwan -- especially the tourism industry -- are hoping for.

A skill that Beijing apparently is sharpening in dealing with Taiwan is to exaggerate the benefits of its supposed goodwill gestures to create an illusion of magnanimity. So long as it successfully creates the desired impression, very few people bother to check later whether any substantive benefits actually result.

Two in point are the recent trips to China by Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan (宋楚瑜) and People First Party James Soong (宋楚瑜). Before the trips, some gullible members of the pan-blue camp -- including Soong and Lien, who were hoping to salvage their political careers with the trips -- naively believed that Beijing would show some room for flexibility on the key roadblock in cross-strait relations. However, despite all the publicity for these trips and the imperial reception extended to the two, Beijing was as stubborn as ever when it comes to the "one China" principle.

Another in point is the so-called "opening up" promised by Beijing in September on travel by Xiamen residents to Kinmen through the existing "small three links." In the six months since that policy's implementation, only 300 people have been approved for such trips by the Chinese government. This figure is significantly lower than what had been anticipated. Reportedly, this is because it takes up to a month for the Chinese tourists to get government approval.

It is noteworthy that the statement issued by the National Tourism Administration on Friday failed to touch on how much "opening up" Beijing has in mind, in terms of the number of visits it will allow, as well as simplifying and shortening the approval process on the Chinese side. Under the circumstances, those critics in Taiwan who were quick to complain about the number tentatively offered by Taiwan's government -- to allow up to 1,000 Chinese tourists into Taiwan each day -- in all likelihood spoke too quickly. It won't be a big surprise if far fewer Chinese tourists end up coming to Taiwan each day due to the Chinese government's bureaucracy.

And not to mention the fact that Taiwan's government still hasn't figured out a way to deal with the problem of Chinese tourists remaining here illegally. The recent visits by Chinese tourists traveling to Taiwan from third countries is a telling example. Taiwan opened up to this kind of tourism in 2002, and already visitors are staying here illegally. That problem will only be amplified under the more comprehensive opening up now being contemplated.

Then is the issue of the model for negotiations. Unlike the one-off Lunar New Year charter flights, opening up to Chinese tourists requires a comprehensive and permanent policy. More formal government-to-government negotiations are in order. Otherwise, Taiwan may pay a steep price on the sovereignty issue in exchange for meager economic benefits.

In Taiwan's exchanges and dealings with Beijing thus far, China has never lost a single round or made any substantive concession. Under the circumstances, with respect to those people who sincerely feel excited about this so-called "opening up" of tourism to Taiwan, one can only admire their innocence.