Yu hopes to send clear message

Premier Yu Shyi-kun yesterday said it may be the government's established policy to open up direct cross-strait transport links, but it still has the responsibility to tell the people not to exaggerate the links' effects on the country's economy.

Yu made the statement at an interpellation session of the legislature, where many opposition legislators criticized the government for going back on its promise to lift the ban on direct links.

The criticism has come in the wake of President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) recent comment that "direct cross-strait links are not a cure-all for Taiwan's economic problems." Members of the opposition believe this remark contradicts Chen's previous statement that "opening up direct cross-strait links is a path that Taiwan must take."

Yu said the opening of direct links is a consensus between the ruling and opposition parties and it remains a policy of the government.

"We say direct cross-strait links are not a cure-all because some people think they are a cure-all that can resolve all of Taiwan's economic problems. Therefore, the government has the responsibility to speak clearly on the issue," Yu said.

He said people tend to think that the links will be opened when the Taiwan government gives the order, while this is in reality a bilateral matter that requires a settlement through cross-strait negotiations.

He urged the legislators to stop putting the blame for the policy's delay on the government.

"This is like two companies bargaining about a business transaction. The fault should not always lie with one side in the case of a failure, or else `our company' will lose all its bargaining chips," Yu said.

The main sticking point that must be worked before the links can be opened is what status the links should be given. Taiwan is against terming direct links "domestic routes," as that would imply that Taiwan is a part of the PRC.

Last week, Chinese Vice Premier Qian Qichen (錢其琛) told the United Daily News that China would refer to the links as "cross-strait routes" rather than "domestic routes."

Disagreeing with their KMT and PFP colleagues -- who are pushing the government to open the links -- a group of DPP and TSU legislators yesterday proposed that Taiwan should make it a precondition for cross-strait talks that China and Taiwan are recognized as "two countries."

The group of legislators, led by the DPP's Tsai Chi-fang (蔡啟芳) and the TSU's Chien-Lin Whei-jun (錢林慧君), criticized the opposition parties for ignoring national security by trying to hurry the opening of direct cross-strait links.

Tsai said Taiwan and China must negotiate on an equal footing, namely in a country-to-country format, in order to smooth bilateral talks on aviation and shipping rights.