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Su promises to speed up cross-strait reforms

Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) yesterday announced that the government will maximize liberalization of cross-strait exchanges, including bringing forward the time Chinese tourists can start to visit Taiwan and regularizing cross-strait charter flights.

"Taiwan has the confidence to allow Chinese tourists to visit. We'd like them to see the democratic achievements of Taiwanese society ... there will no need for an evening roll call [for the tourists in their place of accommodation] and there will be as few restrictions as possible," Su said.

Su was speaking at a luncheon for nearly 160 China-based Tai-wanese businesspeople attending a conference on the views of China-bound investors. The conference was the second for the year, timed to coincide with the Dragon Boat Festival.

Relaxed stance

Su said the government would further liberalize cross-strait exchanges while protecting Taiwan's autonomy.

The more relaxed stance prompted speculation that Su was moving away from President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) policy of "active management, effective opening" stated earlier this year, which was interpreted as a tightening of cross-strait exchanges.

However, in April, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) announced that the government would complete negotiations with the Chinese authorities within six months on relaxing restrictions on Chinese tourists and regularizing direct charter flights, which are restricted to holiday periods at present.

"Some people interpret this as my adjustment [of Chen's policy], but actually I have not adjusted anything. I am just doing the best I can, whatever's possible," the premier said.

Straits Exchange Foundation Chairman Chang Chun-hsiung (張俊雄), a former premier, yesterday commended Su as a premier "true to the title."

"Premier Su has become the head of an administration who is true to the title with the power that the Constitution bestows on him," Chang said.

Charter flights

MAC Chairman Joseph Wu (吳釗燮), speaking at the same event, indicated that the government could allow regular cross-strait charter flights within four to five months.

Wu said the atmosphere for bilateral negotiations was "good," and he said that negotiators from the two sides would likely proceed to the negotiation table soon.

Speaking on the president's announcement on Wednesday that he was relinquishing some powers to the premier, Wu said that there would be no vacuum in cross-strait policy.

"There will be no big change to our major policies. Every effort will be made to keep the policies stable for the public's benefit," he said.
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