The rupture of diplomatic relations with Chad as a result of China's diplomatic suppression of Taiwan will not change the goals the government has been pursuing when making cross-strait policy -- protecting national interests, defending Taiwan's sovereignty and upholding cross-strait peace, government spokesman Cheng Wen-tsang (
Cheng made the remarks when asked to comment on a report in yesterday's Chinese-language China Times, which quoted an anonymous Cabinet source as saying that Premier Su Tseng-chang (
The report said that the opening of Taiwan to Chinese tourists and the move to allow exchange of the Chinese yuan in Taiwan proper would be the first things to suffer.
In comparison with President Chen Shui-bian's (
In light of a split on cross-strait policy between Chen and Su, the media have created the term "Su revisionism" to describe the premier's perspective on cross-strait relations.
Cheng said that it was not the case that "Su revisionism" would be influenced by the Chad matter as "Su revisionism" never existed.
While saying the principles of the Cabinet's cross-strait policy would remain the same, Cheng refused to comment on whether the expansion policies which the Cabinet had been considering would be deferred as a result of China's diplomatic maneuvering.
Cheng said that the impact of the severance of diplomatic ties with Chad on the implementation of opening policies would depend on the government's assessment of the recent domestic political situation and that of the international community.
"The Chad matter will not be a one-off as China's efforts to contain Taiwan continue on all fronts, and they will carry on hurting Taiwan," the spokesman said.
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