Former vice president Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) yesterday expressed concern over comments by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) that her party should not rule out the idea of entering into “direct” and “realistic” dialogue with China.
Lu said any party policy must be well thought out and respect decision-making mechanisms.
Lu, however, fell short of saying that Tsai’s proposal must be approved by the party’s National Congress.
Tsai said on Sunday that provided Beijing did not set political preconditions, the DPP “does not discount the idea of entering into direct and realistic dialogue with China.”
Lu said former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) also made similar remarks during his presidency, but that Beijing paid no attention to them.
While there is nothing wrong with making such a proposition again, she said, it was worrying to see such a “big gap” between the remarks Tsai made during the debate with President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) on a proposed economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) with China on April 25 and what she said after the debate.
During the debate, Tsai said the main difference between her party and the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) was that the DPP supports walking toward China through the international community, while the KMT is working with the international community through China.
She also pledged that a future DPP government would work toward “more stable and consistent” relations with China and that cross-strait dialogue would become more predictable.
Presidential Office Spokesman Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強) yesterday declined to comment on Tsai’s proposal, saying it was a DPP party affair.
A political insider who asked not to be named said the DPP must take a square look at its longstanding problem, which is its political position and attitude toward China.
While Tsai may be feeling the need to adjust her party’s China policy direction, she will likely face strong opposition from the party’s old guard, which has strong opinions and a fixed position on the matter, he said.
It remains to be seen whether Tsai would be able to push her agenda and whether such a change would be good for the party, he said.
Responding to Lu’s comments, the DPP said that Tsai had not wavered in her position on the issue and had been consistent with the DPP’s previous China policies.
Clarifying the remarks, DPP spokesperson Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) said the party had never been against engaging in talks with China, but was against some of the KMT’s more “reckless” China policies, such as the proposed ECFA.
Tsai Chi-chang said the DPP supported regular official exchanges with China, including on tourism, economic or municipal affairs and agricultural marketing, but was against DPP officials participating in political events.
Former DPP Legislator and pro-independence activist Lin Cho-shui (林濁水) said Tsai Ing-wen’s comments had received approval from many DPP members and that she had “stabilized the future direction of Taiwan independence.”
Lin also said he supported the idea of a future visit to China by Tsai Ing-wen when “[cross-strait] conditions stabilize, which could take some time, however.”
A number of DPP lawmakers, including William Lai (賴清德) and Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲), said they supported Tsai Ing-wen’s comments, adding there was “nothing new” in them and that they were consistent with prior DPP policy.
DPP caucus whip Chai Trong-rong (蔡同榮) also called Tsai Ing-wen’s statement “a good thing” that would decrease misunderstanding between the DPP and Beijing.
Speaking to Japanese media yesterday, Tsai Ing-wen said the DPP should not let the KMT monopolize the right to speak for the nation and had to make its voice heard by China and the rest of the world.
The DPP will collaborate with social movements, environmental protection groups and women’s and human rights groups to hold dialogue with China based on the principles of transparency and public trust, Tsai said.
Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴), director of the DPP’s Department of International Affairs, told reporters that Tsai Ing-wen said in the interview that the party was also open to interacting with China through academics at think tanks.
Given the current lack of trust between the DPP and China, the DPP leader said, a multi-pronged approach to dialogue with China would be more viable.
On the possibility of exchange visits by her and Chinese political leaders, the DPP chairperson said it was a hypothetical question that could not be answered at the moment, as the situation was not ripe.
KMT caucus secretary-general Lin Hung-chih (林鴻池) welcomed Tsai Ing-wen’s remarks, but questioned if she would remain consistent under pressure from “deep green” supporters.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY CNA AND FLORA WANG
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