An SEF Chairman qualified to be Premier

An SEF Chairman qualified to be Premier
United Daily News Editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)
A Translation
April 16, 2008

Ma Ying-jeou's summed up the Hu Siew Meeting at the Boao Forum by saying, "This was a successful meeting." But he added, "We have merely melted the tip of the iceberg." Siew agreed, "The iceberg is huge. It will take a while for the melting water to become a torrent." Ma and Siew agree. Cross-strait relations should proceed slowly but surely.

Ma and Siew's remarks show that they do not have an inflated view of the significance of the Hu Siew Meeting. They remain cautious about future developments. They know that "above the abyss, is a thin layer of ice." They are unwilling to exaggerate their success. They have not ignored the risks. But neither are they flinching from the challenge. The public probably does not want the new leadership to make any rash moves.

Ma Ying-jeou has appointed Chiang Pin-kung SEF chairman. This means that cross-strait relations in the wake of the Boao Forum will be based on economic and trade exchange instead of bickering over political symbolism. Chiang Pin-kung was on the short list of candidates for Premier. To appoint Chiang Pin-kung SEF Chairman is to appoint someone qualified to be Premier to the position. Koo Chen-fu came from a background of wealth. He was appointed to high office. Chiang Pin-kung, by contrast, came from a humble background. He worked his way up the ladder of government, one step at a time. He is a workaholic highly experienced in public policy and government administration. Chiang Pin-kung is unlike Chang Chun-hsiung. Former premier Chang Chun-hsiung was also an SEF Chief. But Chang was a politician, a "hollow radish." Chiang Pin-kung, on the other hand, is a many year veteran of economic and trade matters. In recent years he has accumulated even more first hand experience with Taiwan businessmen. The Straits Exchange Foundation will have fewer people from Koo Chen-fu's era. It will also have fewer people from Chang Chun-hsiung's era. We expect to see an SEF Chief who is "Chief Cook and Bottle Washer."

The ice in the Taiwan Strait is melting. The SEF is getting an infusion of new blood. The ice in the Taiwan Strait is not being melted merely to solve problems faced by Taiwan businessmen. It is being melted to solve problems faced by everyone on Taiwan. Opening Taiwan to the mainland opens Taiwan to the world. The synergy will create a win/win scenario for all. Taiwan can no longer afford to lose its economic lifeblood. It must recirculate that economic lifeblood in order to nourish the main body.

Economic and trade issues are the tip of Taiwan's cross-strait relations iceberg. Cross-strait relations meanwhile, are the tip of Taiwan's political and economic iceberg. If Taiwan fails to break down cross-strait economic and trade barriers, it will not be able to solve Taiwan's economic problems. But if it merely breaks down barriers to cross-strait economic and trade, it still won't be able to solve Taiwan's economic problems. For example, almost every year the American Chamber of Commerce and the European Chamber of Commerce have urged Taiwan to open direct links to the mainland. Obviously relaxing cross-strait economic and trade barriers helps more than just Taiwan businessmen and mainland businessmen. It increases economic and trade opportunities. It normalizes economic and trade relations in the Taiwan Strait. It creates conditions necessary for the transformation of Taiwan into an Asia-Pacific Regional Hub. Taiwan's political and economic problems be resolved only through cross-strait relations. Only cross-strait relations will enable people on Taiwan to go beyond cross-strait relations. Only then will Taiwan find salvation. Only then will Taiwan find a way out.

The atmosphere in the wake of the Boao Forum is overly optimistic. The business community was not alone. Even local Green camp officials such as Chen Chu and Su Chi-feng wanted to get in on the act, wanted their share of the booty. Ma and Siew offered timely reminders that "Melting the ice too quickly would create a flood" and that "haste makes waste." The appointment of the workaholic Chiang Pin-kung as SEF Chief offered cautious optimism that the ice might melt sooner rather than later. Community leaders need cooler heads than the general public. They must not allow enthusiasm to get the better of them.

The SEF was originally "a pair of white gloves," i.e., an intermediary. Chiang Pin-kung may indeed play such a role. But Chiang Pin-kung is an economic and trade expert with hands-on mainland experience. His role would hardly be limited to "a pair of white gloves." The late Koo Chen-fu lacked Chiang Pin-kung's hands-on experience. Koo Chen-fu never set foot on the mainland until 1998. Chiang Pin-kung will be visiting the mainland prior to May 20 in his capacity as KMT Vice Chairman. He will be thanking Taiwan businessmen for supporting the Ma/Siew ticket. Times truly have changed. We celebrate these changes in the SEF leadership.

Chiang Pin-kung is an SEF Chairman qualified to be Premier. The public hopes he will promote peaceful cross-strait exchanges. Even more, it hopes he will make good use of warmer cross-strait relations to improve world trade, strengthen Taiwan's role, and help solve Taiwan's political problems. The SEF is not an "Association for the Betterment of Taiwan Businessmen." It is an agent of national reconstruction. Chiang Pin-kung is an SEF Chairman qualfied to be Premier. The public has good reason for optimism.

Chiang Pin-kung may actually be able to make a greater contribution to his country as SEF Chairman than as Premier.

閣揆級的海基會董事長
【聯合報╱社論】
2008.04.16 02:37 am

馬英九對博鰲胡蕭會的評語是：「這是一次成功的會議。」但是，他又說：「冰山只融一小塊。」蕭萬長則稱：「冰山很大，一下子融化了會變成洪水。」馬蕭的共同見解是：「兩岸關係走得穩比走得快好。」

這樣的評語，顯示馬蕭對胡蕭會的成就未過度「膨風」，且對後續發展亦有「臨深淵，履薄冰」的戒慎恐懼之心；這樣的心情與態度，不高估成就（只融一小塊），不忘記風險（一下子融化了會變成洪水），且以不退縮、不冒進的步伐前進（走得穩比走得快好），應是國人所願見的穩健務實形象。

馬英九宣布由江丙坤出任海基會董事長，亦顯示「後博鰲」的兩岸關係重點，將由政治符號的爭議轉向經貿交流的開展。江丙坤原被認為是列在閣揆候選名單中的角色，以江丙坤掌海基會，不啻是「閣揆級」的董事長。江丙坤不像辜振甫，辜從高處來，往高處去；江則出身基層，一步一腳印地升至主持中樞政務，是一位從政策至實務皆相當老練的「工作型」人物。江丙坤也不像張俊雄，張俊雄雖曾以卸任閣揆出掌海基會，但張是政客出身，空心蘿蔔；江丙坤則是親身參與經貿國政多年的個中老手，在近年更累積了與台商現場親身第一手密切互動的珍貴經驗。今後，海基會將少了一些辜振甫時代的身段，也不再有張俊雄時代的尸位素餐，可望出現一位「從校長到敲鐘全能型的董事長」。

值此兩岸開始融冰，及海基會人事定案之際，我們願再提醒：兩岸融冰，不是只為了解決「台商」的問題，更是為了解決「台灣」的問題。台灣對大陸開放，是為了台灣要對世界開放；台灣對大陸開放，主要目的是為了增益台灣對世界接軌的條件。當台灣因透過對大陸開放，而提升了台灣對世界開放的條件，其最後綜效亦必可回過頭來增進兩岸雙贏。台灣的經濟即可不再只是「出血」，而能「循環」，滋養台灣的母體。

經貿問題只是兩岸關係的冰山一角，兩岸關係又只是台灣政經架構的冰山一角。如今的情勢是：台灣若不打通兩岸經貿障礙，就不能解決台灣政經難題；但若只是打通兩岸經貿障礙而已，亦不能解決台灣經貿難題。例如，幾乎每年的美國商會或歐洲商會皆力主三通直航，可見鬆綁兩岸經貿障礙，不只是著眼於台商與陸商，亦存有改善台灣世界經貿角色的契機；台灣若能藉助於兩岸經貿關係正常化的新生條件，將台灣轉型為「亞太平台」之類的區域樞紐角色，則台灣的政經難題才有得以化解的可能性。亦即：必須「穿過兩岸關係」，藉以「超越兩岸關係」，台灣才能得救，才有出路。

博鰲會後，社會上似乎出現了過度樂觀的氣氛，非但工商界表達一展身手的意願，連陳菊、蘇治芬等綠營地方首長也食指大動，急著想分一杯羹；因而，馬蕭及時提醒「一下子融了會變成洪水」，與「走得穩比走得快好」，且由「工作型／實力型」的江丙坤出掌海基會，這皆應是可以審慎寄望的發展。在冰山初融之際，主政者當然應當比民間更冷靜與穩健，不能熱暈頭，更不可一頭熱。

海基會原被視為「白手套」，江丙坤恐怕亦仍須扮演此一角色；但是，以江丙坤的經貿才具，與「現場／親身」的大陸經驗，他也不會「只是白手套而已」的角色。辜振甫沒有的「田野經驗」與「第一手的手感」，江丙坤都有；且看，辜振甫一直到一九九八年始能登陸訪問，而江丙坤在五二○前就要以「國民黨副主席」的身分赴大陸向台商「謝票」，時代真的變了，我們慶幸海基會主持者的典型也同步改變！

江丙坤是「閣揆級的海基會董事長」，國人希望他能促進兩岸和平交流，也更寄望他能善用兩岸關係來改善增強台灣的世界經貿角色，以有利於解決台灣的政經綜合難題。海基會不只是「台商」權益促進會，也是我們綜合國力的建構者；對於「閣揆級的海基會董事長」江丙坤，國人有理由寄以如此期望！

江丙坤若亦能以此自期，其對國家的貢獻，可能更勝閣揆。