Taiwan's bargaining chips in any negotiations with China would be reduced if the electorate vetoes the establishment of a "peace and stability" framework for cross-strait interaction in next month's referendum, Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said yesterday.
In a legislative session, opposition lawmakers asked Tsai, whose council proposed the establishment of the framework, whether the government would halt the framework plan should the people fail to approve the proposal.
Under the proposed framework, Taiwan and China would exchange special envoys and set up representative offices in each other's capitals.
Presenting to lawmakers a report titled The March 20 Referendum and Cross-strait Relations, Tsai said that the government would continue its efforts to establish the "peace and stability" framework even if the people voted against it.
Some opposition lawmakers suggested that it is unnecessary to hold the referendum if the government plans to press on with establishing the framework no matter how the people vote.
Lawmakers also questioned whether China would respond to the referendum results at all, considering the several unsuccessful attempts by President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) government to open a cross-strait dialogue.
"Of course the government will not stop efforts to build such a framework," Tsai said.
However, lack of public support for the plan will weaken the govern-ment's position in negotiations with China, she said.
Tsai, a lawyer-turned-politician who is known among government officials for her rhetorical skills, will represent the Cabinet on March 14 in one of a series of 10 public debates on the referen-dum.
Confident in her ability to do well in the debate, Tsai said she would use easily-understandable language to explain the referendum issue to the public.
Tsai told lawmakers that Tai-wan, as a democracy, suffers a disadvantage in seeking dialogue with an authoritative regime such as China's.
"This is because democracies have dissenting voices internally," Tsai said.
"The referendum is meant to build a consensus among the people about the way the country should handle cross-strait affairs," she said.
Over the years, the Chinese authorities have questioned the government's proposals to increase cross-strait interaction by pointing out Taiwan's lack of consensus about these plans, Tsai said.
China must pay attention to the referendum's outcome and the people's wish to maintain their country's sovereignty, Tsai said. She also said that the electorate's approval of the cross-strait framework will pressure China to open talks.
However, if the referendum results show that the electorate does not support the framework, Tsai said, China might take advantage of the situation to further its aim of unification by highlighting the people's divided opinion on cross-strait affairs.
The nation's efforts to gain international support might also be damaged by negative referendum results, Tsai said.
Asked about Chen's pledge to form a nine-member task force to nominate the nation's special envoy to Beijing before the May 20 presidential inauguration if he is re-elected, Tsai said that the government welcomes China to suggest candidates for the position.
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