In an apparent attempt to shine a new beam of light into the current pitch-black state of cross-strait relations, President-elect Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) said tensions would cool following his May 20 inaugural address.
"It seems like cross-strait relations are coming to the dead end of a road where mountains and rivers end," Chen said yesterday.
"After A-Bian's (阿扁) May 20 inauguration speech, there will definitely be another village behind the dark willows and flowers and around the corner," Chen said, quoting a Chinese proverb.
Since his election Chen has, almost daily, made comments aimed at soothing relations with an unpredictable China.
Chen made the comments following a meeting yesterday with National Policy Advisor Chen Shou-shan (
China originally said it would take a "wait and see" attitude toward Chen and his new administration. However, as the date of his inauguration speech nears, China has begun to put additional pressure on Chen.
Although Chen has refrained from speaking on the possibility of Taiwan independence -- viewed as threatening by China, and something it says it will answer with military force -- both sides are struggling to build mutual trust.
Following the elections China has repeatedly expressed its desire for Chen to accept its definition of the "one China" principle, threatening eventual conflict if the issue is not resolved on its terms.
Despite this, Chen appeared positive yesterday that the new government could find a way to break through the stalemate.
"We definitely have the confidence to complete the normalization of relations between the two sides of the Strait," Chen said.
Once again Chen compared himself to US president Richard Nixon, the anti-communist Republican who visited China in 1972. Nixon's visit was key to Washington's eventual switching of diplomatic ties from Taipei to Beijing in 1979.
Chen said he felt that he, like Nixon, held the key to "opening mainland China's door and completing the normalization of ties" between Taipei and Beijing.
Despite Taiwan's willingness and Chen's optimism, the task would take much effort, said Mainland Affairs Council chairperson-designate Tsai Ying-wen (蔡英文).
"Cross-strait [relations] are something that cannot be reformed in a short time and we have to be very careful in managing the relationship," Tsai said yesterday during a meeting with members of the Taipei Foreign Correspondents Club.
The new government would do all that it can to draw upon local resources to help resolve the problem, and was willing to consider the "possibility of systematic integration with the PRC in economic and cultural terms as well," Tsai said.
"But given the gap between the two sides and the scale of their differences, it could take up to 10 years," she added.
"We have to deal with China as a matter of utmost importance and we cannot neglect the existence of China," Tsai said.
Still, Tsai was wary of China's public comments so far and its urgings to accept the "one China" principle on equal footing.
Recently, the Vice Chairman of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait, Tang Shubei (唐樹備) said that talks between Taiwan and China could be held on equal footing, rather than between central government and local government.
Responding to the comments, Tsai said we "appreciate this goodwill gesture, this is something that is welcome, but we do hope that he is not just talking about procedure or equality in terms of a formality.
"We are talking about equality in substantive terms. They have to treat us as an equal in the international community," Tsai told the FCC yesterday. "That would make us very delighted."
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