Wang Cho-chun Represents Official Policy, Jiang Ping Represents Individual Conduct

Wang Cho-chun Represents Official Policy, Jiang Ping Represents Individual Conduct
United Daily News editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)
A Translation
October 28, 2010

Two incidents have provided answers to questions surrounging recent cross-Strait controversies. They offer important indicators for future cross-Strait exchanges. First, National Police Administration Chief Wang Cho-chun led a delegation to the Mainland. This tells us the direction cross-Strait policy will be taking. Secondly, we have confirmation that the bizarre words and deeds of Mainland delegation leader Jiang Ping during the Tokyo Film Festival incident was merely a case of "individual conduct."

Yesterday Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman Yang Yi responded to the Tokyo International Film Festival controversy. He said it "may have been due to a lack of communication between the two parties. It precipitated "a situation we do not want to see." The "we" Yang Yi referred to, is the central government in Beijing. The "do not want to see," Yang Yi referred to, was the consequences of Jiang Ping's words and deeds. Yang said, "Cross-strait relations are continually developing and improving. Under such circumstances, the two sides should avoid both external and internal frictions." His statement implied that Jiang Ping's conduct was a form of internal friction that ran counter to "continually developing and improving cross-Strait relations."

Most observers on Taiwan concluded that the Tokyo International Film Festival last weekend was the result of "individual conduct." They concluded that it could not have been an "offically sanctioned act by Beijing." This suggests that the two sides have established considerable mutual trust. No one believed that the central government in Beijing could possibly have committed such and ignorant and irrational act, given "continually developing and improving cross-Strait relations." Today, Yang Yi's remarks have confirmed that this mutual trust is real and well-founded. The two sides have struggled for two years on behalf of better relations. This should be an enormous relief to those with high hopes for improved cross-Strait relations. It is also a test of those relations, one whose result has not let them down.

Some Mainland netizens consider Jiang Ping a hero for the waves he generated during the film festival. But this is not the official position represented by Yang Yi. Even members of the Mainland delegation to the Tokyo Film Festival were displeased with Jiang Ping's conduct. Some feel his words and deeds did not represent the views of the delegation, but was merely a case of 'Jiang Ping directing a "Love Song of Kangding",' and backing out of the Tokyo International Film Festival. One delegation member said, "It was absurd. I cannot believe it represented the attitude of the [Mainland] Chinese government. It was merely a case of individual conduct." Turn the clock back two years, and it is unlikely delegation members would have been so free in expressing their opinions. As we can see by the attitudes expressed by Mainland delegation members, most people on the Mainland currently have a much better understanding of cross-Strait relations, and much deeper trust.

Contrast their views with Jiang Ping's faux pas. National Police Administration Chief Wang Cho-chun's visit to the Mainland constitutes an affirmation of our policy direction. The 17 member delegation will tour Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang over eight days. Mainland Minister of Public Security Meng Jianzhu will refer to Wang Cho-chun as "Taiwan's National Police Administration Chief." There will be no "white gloves." They will not refer to each other by such euphemisms as, "administrative experts." This may constitute only "one small step" in formal protocol. But it represents "one giant leap" in substantive progress. It deserves recognition, and should be encouraged. Jiang Ping shrilly insisted that "the Taiwan delegation to the Tokyo International Film Festival is part of the [Mainland] China delegation." Beijing's Minister of Public Security Meng Jianzhu on the other hand, greeted Taipei's National Police Administration Chief Wang Cho-chun on a basis of equality. Contrasting the two gives us a better understanding of what Mainland political advisor Zheng Bi-jian meant when he said, "Ideas determine one's path, Vision determines one's horizons."

In September Mainland Culture Minister Cai Wu visited Taiwan. His counterpart, Council for Cultural Affairs Chief Emile C. J. Sheng greeted him. More and more unprecedented, direct, face to face meetings between central government officials have taken place. Wang Cho-chun met with a Mainland delegation in his official capacity, using his official title. This should be considered a milestone. It also suggests a bold breakthrough on the part of Beijing. After all, they must deal with leftists such as Jiang Ping. In fact, both sides have Jiang Ping counterparts. When Cai Wu visited in September, we hoped Mainland Affairs Council Chairwoman Lai Shin-yuan and Taiwan Affairs Office Director Wang Yi could meet. The two sides' economic leaders have met frequently. The two sides' premiers have also met. Beijing is able to accept "Taiwan's National Police Administration," and may be able to accept "Taiwan's premier." In other words, through our deeds, we can change the attitudes of Jiang Ping counterparts on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. We can gradually persuade them to accept a reasonable and legitimate "framework of equality." In that case, a "Ma Hu Summit" would no longer be an impossibility.

Jiang Ping's words and deeds have been rejected by most people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. This shows that most people share the same views, and hope to improve cross-Strait relations. Jiang Ping's individual conduct can only lead to a dead end. Wang Cho-chun's official visit represents official policy, and a way out of the previous impasse. The waves generated by Jiang Ping were not something the two sides were happy to see. Wang Cho-chun's visit, on the other hand, represents a trend that everyone is happy to see.

王卓鈞是政策指標，江平是個人行為
【聯合報╱社論】 2010.10.28

這兩件事可以澄清近日兩岸的爭議與疑慮，也為未來兩岸交往帶來重要的啟示。一、警政署長王卓鈞率團赴大陸訪問，這標誌著兩岸當局認同的政策取向；二、東京影展風波，大陸團團長江平的奇異言行，可以證實是「個人行為」。

國台辦發言人楊毅昨日就東京影展風波表示：「可能是當事各方溝通不夠所致，因此引發的狀況是我們不願看到的。」話中的「我們」，是指北京官方，「不願看到的」則是指江平的言行及所造成的後果。楊毅並說：「在兩岸關係不斷改善和發展的新形勢下，兩岸雙方應在涉外事務中避免內耗。」引伸其意，是指江平的行徑違反了「兩岸關係不斷改善和發展的新形勢」，是一種「內耗」。

上周末東京影展風波發生後，台灣方面的主流評論在第一時即認為這是「個人行為」，而不可能是「北京官方操作」。這顯示兩岸關係的政策目標及內涵已經建立了相當程度的相互信任，沒有人相信北京官方會「在兩岸關係不斷改善和發展的新形勢下」，做出那種無知無理之事。如今，楊毅的談話證實了此種互信有其成立與存在的基礎，可謂差堪告慰對兩岸關係有憧憬者，也算是對兩岸兩年來的共同努力作了一次令人不致完全失望的驗收。

大陸網民對此次影展風波起鬨，有人將江平捧為英雄。但楊毅所代表的官方立場顯非如此。甚至大陸東京影展代表團的團員，亦不齒江平所為。有人甚至認為，他的言行不具代表團的身分，而只是「《康定情歌》的導演江平」退出了東京影展。團員說：「那太荒唐，我相信這不是中國政府的態度，完全是個人行為。」然而，倘若時間倒退兩年，代表團內恐怕不會聽到這類開明的聲音。由團員的表態可見，大陸方面的一般人對兩岸現行關係的認同與信任，亦有顯著的加強與進展。

與江平的脫軌演出相較，警政署長王卓鈞率團訪問大陸則是值得肯定的政策取向。訪問團一行十六人，將赴北京、上海、江蘇、浙江訪問八天；大陸公安部長孟建柱是以「台灣的警政署長」之身分及職稱接待王卓鈞。沒有「白手套」，也不必相互化名「行政專家」。這雖只是在形式及稱謂上「一小步」的調整，但仍蘊含著在實質上「一大步」的進展。值得肯定，值得鼓勵。江平叫囂「東京影展台灣團是中國團的一部分」，孟建柱則以大陸公安部長的身分，對等接待台灣警政署長王卓鈞；兩相對照，更使人領會大陸智囊鄭必堅所說：「思路決定出路，眼界決定境界。」

自九月大陸文化部長蔡武來台，我對口部會文建會主委盛治仁出面相迎以來，兩岸中央政府部會首長直接見面的紀錄不斷被刷新，此次王卓鈞能以政府職銜率團訪問大陸更可視為一個新的里程碑。這也是北京對台單位頗具膽識的一項突破，畢竟他們也必須面對寧左勿右的「江平們」。其實，兩岸都有「江平們」。九月蔡武來訪時，我們即曾希望，陸委會主委賴幸媛及國台辦主任王毅能互訪，兩岸經濟部門首長能互訪，然後兩岸閣揆也能互訪；既能接受「台灣的警政署長」，也就有可能接受「台灣的行政院長」。也就是說，要用行為實踐來改換兩岸「江平們」的腦袋，使之漸漸接受「對等身分架構」的合理正當性，那麼，「馬胡會」也就不是不可能。

江平的言行可謂已被兩岸主流意見所否決，這也顯示了兩岸主流意見對兩岸關係發展改善的大方向已經存有同一的準則與共識。江平是個人行為，是倒退到死路；王卓鈞的正式出訪則是官方政策，才是活路。江平風波是兩岸「都不願意看到的」，王卓鈞訪問所指出的發展趨勢則是大家「都願意看到的」。