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Taiwan expects hardline from Beijing

Beijing's belated reaction yesterday to the results of Saturday's elections indicates the people of Taiwan can expect more of the intransigence that has characterized relations for the last two years.

However, in their response to China's reaction, Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (張俊雄) and the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), urged China once again to set aside political differences and resume cross-strait dialogue.

"President Chen [Shui-bian, 陳水扁] has remarked that cross-strait policy will remain unchanged and the nation will continue to work toward improving cross-strait relations," Chang told yesterday's Cabinet meeting, according to head of the Government Information Office Su Chen-ping (蘇正平).

"I hope that the Beijing authorities will resume cross-strait dialogue and other useful interaction," Chang was quoted as saying.

Taiwan has eagerly awaited China's reaction to its election results -- particularly for indications that the DPP's majority status in the legislature has convinced Beijing to adopt a more accommodating attitude toward Taiwan.

The ruling DPP won 87 seats in the 225-seat legislature, which the government had hoped would prompt a policy reversal by China.

"Beijing refused to deal with Chen Shui-bian because his government was a minority government, but this result changes the situation," said Lin Chong-pin (林中斌), vice chairman of the MAC on Sunday.

China's reaction, however, betrayed no signs of flexibility.

Zhang Mingqing (張銘清), head of the information bureau at the Taiwan Affairs Office in Beijing, said that China's cross-strait policy would not change.

"We maintain our policy of peaceful unification. ? Our policies, including those on economic ties between the two sides, will not change," Zhang said.

"We will pay a lot of attention to the direction of Taiwan's policies toward [China] in the wake of the election," he said.

But he added that "any attempt to wage pro-independence policies will fail to get public support."

Both Chen and MAC Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) have repeatedly emphasized that the outcome of the election will not prompt Taiwan to seek independence, while urging China to resume dialogue with Taiwan.

Tsai said that nothing would change and that Taiwan's cross-strait policy would continue to adhere to Chen's "Five No's" policy.

The "Five No's," first proclaimed by the president in his inauguration speech, are: no declaration of independence; no change to Taiwan's formal name, the Republic of China; no incorporation of the concept of state-to-state relations in the ROC Constitution; no endorsement of a referendum on formal independence; and no abolition of either the National Reunification Council or the National Reunification Guidelines, both established by former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) in 1991.

Zhang continued to insist China will resume dialogue with Taiwan only after it recognizes the "one-China" principle.

"The key issue is not whether [Chen] has good intentions. The key issue is whether he is willing to accept the one-China principle," Zhang said.

Beijing has refused to deal with Chen since he was elected last year, saying it is "watching the president's actions and listening to his words."

"Beijing has difficulties understanding Taiwan's democracy. If it did understand it, it would have difficulties explaining the way it has treated Taiwan," Hsu Szu-chien (徐斯儉), a specialist in Chinese politics at National Chengchi University's Institute of International Relations, told the Taipei Times.
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