After casting divining cups, Yen Ching-piao
However, in order to avoid giving the impression that religious groups in Taiwan are in charge of cross-strait policy, the Mainland Affairs Council
National security concerns and the cross-strait political stalemate may not be enough to prevent direct links for religious reasons, but we should give more thought to them before we make any rash decisions.
President Chen Shui-bian's
Many people in Taiwan are now working hard to realize direct links for religious reasons, the three small links and direct links. This is clearly a trend in cross-strait relations, but public pressure should not be allowed to throw the government's policy into disorder.
If direct links for religious reasons are rashly implemented, they could create a domino effect and both bring down the government's cross-strait policy and hasten the implementation of the three small links and three links. Furthermore, if the government is seen as too weak to maintain its own policy in the face of pressure from a small special interest group, the administration will be put at a severe disadvantage in future negotiations with China.
The technical issues involved in religious pilgrimages to China -- including the security and health issues of both the vessels and personnel involved -- are easy to solve. But the Matsu pilgrimage could lead to future problems. If in the future Taipei were to allow pilgrimages from China to Taiwan, the security burden would be enormous. The government should take this into consideration before it makes any decisions on the matter.
The goddess Matsu was transported to Taiwan from China and her followers in Taiwan now want to make a "direct" return voyage. The pilgrimage is bound to be a watershed in cross-strait exchanges and garner a great deal of international media attention. China could use the opportunity to push for unification and insist on the subordinate status of Taiwan. Taiwan would be shooting itself in the foot by agreeing to open direct links for religious purposes at this sensitive time in cross-strait relations.
Religious pilgrimages should not be linked to politics, but some are trying to use the Matsu pilgrimage to push for increased links despite the possible consequences and regardless of whether the government is ready to open such links or not.
We are not opposed to the pilgrimage or to direct links for religious purposes, but we feel the government should give priority right now to national security interests. It should first set a timetable and begin planning for direct links before it decides to implement them.
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