Responding to media reports that the first formal round of negotiations on Taiwan-Hong Kong air links had broken down because of Taiwan's demand that the Civil Aeronautics Administra-tion (CAA) sign the agreement, the Mainland Affairs Commission (MAC) denied that the talks had collapsed, saying that the two sides had exchanged views on issues such as flight frequency and contract framework and that there would be a second meeting.
The development undoubtedly shows that neither side can afford to let the talks collapse as they concern the transportation needs of three million passengers per year and the substantial commercial interests involved in servicing those needs. It also, however, highlights the importance of the government's pragmatism in delegating non-governmental groups to conduct negotiations over cross-strait issues involving the exercise of government authority.
The existing agreement, signed in June 1996, was negotiated between Hong Kong airlines and a delegation formed by Taiwan's carriers under directions from government agencies such as the CAA and the MAC.
After Hong Kong's handover to Beijing in 1997, however, the MAC took charge of negotiations for the renewal of the links, in accordance with the Provisions Governing Relations with Hong Kong and Macau (港澳關係條例). Naturally, Taiwan's demand for a "government-to-government" negotiation model depends on whether Beijing will play ball.
Such political considerations have forced two six-month extensions of the 1996 agreement by way of "document exchange" instead of a new agreement.
As far as the possibility of a new agreement is concerned, I believe that the Taiwan-Hong Kong route is a major element of cross-strait interaction at a time when political obstacles stand in the way of direct transport links between Taiwan and China.
A new agreement is expected to involve additional flights for the carriers and, because both sides are under enormous pressure, a compromise can still be reached at the 11th hour. While I cannot predict how the political compromise will be struck, we can be sure that continued communication between Taiwanese and Hong Kong carriers will bring about a win-win proposal.
Because the two sides agreed not to disclose details of the negotiations, it is not possible to confirm whether the talks collapsed because of Taiwan's demand. In fact, President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) recently said that Taipei could consider authorizing non-governmental groups to negotiate direct links, although the MAC later said that he actually meant that Taipei could seek assistance with direct-links negotiations from non-governmental groups.
There are precedents for the use of non-governmental groups on either side of the Strait to interact in a flexible and pragmatic manner and facilitate mutually acceptable agreements. Examples include the Kinmen agreement signed between the Red Cross societies, the signing of the existing Taiwan-Hong Kong aviation agreement and the "offshore shipping" model promoted by shipping associations from the two sides.
As long as it supervises the negotiations effectively, the government will ensure that the delegated organizations negotiate in strict adherence to its principles. This will also help to reduce concerns about belittlement, localization and marginalization.
All told, facing the rising demand for direct links, the government should continue to promote participation in negotiations by non-governmental groups. Such groups can help to lubricate the works of positive interaction across the Strait.
Tsai Horng-ming is deputy secretary-general of the Chinese National Federation of Industries.
Translated by Francis Huang
Because much of what former US president Donald Trump says is unhinged and histrionic, it is tempting to dismiss all of it as bunk. Yet the potential future president has a populist knack for sounding alarums that resonate with the zeitgeist — for example, with growing anxiety about World War III and nuclear Armageddon. “We’re a failing nation,” Trump ranted during his US presidential debate against US Vice President Kamala Harris in one particularly meandering answer (the one that also recycled urban myths about immigrants eating cats). “And what, what’s going on here, you’re going to end up in World War
Earlier this month in Newsweek, President William Lai (賴清德) challenged the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to retake the territories lost to Russia in the 19th century rather than invade Taiwan. He stated: “If it is for the sake of territorial integrity, why doesn’t [the PRC] take back the lands occupied by Russia that were signed over in the treaty of Aigun?” This was a brilliant political move to finally state openly what many Chinese in both China and Taiwan have long been thinking about the lost territories in the Russian far east: The Russian far east should be “theirs.” Granted, Lai issued
On Tuesday, President William Lai (賴清德) met with a delegation from the Hoover Institution, a think tank based at Stanford University in California, to discuss strengthening US-Taiwan relations and enhancing peace and stability in the region. The delegation was led by James Ellis Jr, co-chair of the institution’s Taiwan in the Indo-Pacific Region project and former commander of the US Strategic Command. It also included former Australian minister for foreign affairs Marise Payne, influential US academics and other former policymakers. Think tank diplomacy is an important component of Taiwan’s efforts to maintain high-level dialogue with other nations with which it does
On Sept. 2, Elbridge Colby, former deputy assistant secretary of defense for strategy and force development, wrote an article for the Wall Street Journal called “The US and Taiwan Must Change Course” that defends his position that the US and Taiwan are not doing enough to deter the People’s Republic of China (PRC) from taking Taiwan. Colby is correct, of course: the US and Taiwan need to do a lot more or the PRC will invade Taiwan like Russia did against Ukraine. The US and Taiwan have failed to prepare properly to deter war. The blame must fall on politicians and policymakers
RSS