ROC Office in Hong Kong and Macao Renamed: Major Breakthrough in Cross-Strait Relations

ROC Office in Hong Kong and Macao Renamed:
Major Breakthrough in Cross-Strait Relations
China Times editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)
A Translation
July 7, 2011

The Republic of China's representative office in Hong Kong and Macao has recently changed its name. It now uses the same name as other offices abroad, the "Taipei Economic and Cultural Office." Its status has been upgraded. Its functionality has been substantially upgraded as well. Officials posted to Hong Kong and Macao will enjoy the same preferential treatment as those posted to foreign countries. The Hong Kong and Macao governments will also set up offices on Taiwan. This is the first time Taipei and Beijing have set up offices in each others' jurisdictions. For cross-Strait relations, this is a matter of landmark significance.

Over the past 45 years, the Republic of China's representative office in Hong Kong was know as the "Chung Hwa Travel Service." This often led to misunderstandings. It also failed to reflect its status as the agent of an outside authority. Also, if the Republic of China's representative office in Hong Kong wanted to contact agencies within the Hong Kong government, it had to go through specified channels. Now our government can directly contact the relevant departments. MAC officials feel the two sides are finally according each other the respect commensurate with official contacts.

The Republic of China is also authorizing the Hong Kong and Macao governments to establish a Hong Kong Economics, Trade and Cultural Office and a Macao Economic and Cultural Office on Taiwan. These will be manned by officials of the Hong Kong and Macao governments. In other words, buffers between Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macao will no longer be required. Such a breakthrough would have been unimaginable in the past.

Cross-strait interactions are peculiar. When Lee Teng-hui was in office, the MAC and ARATS served as buffers. This enabled the two sides to avoid each other. It allowed them to avoid defining the nature of their relationship. When Chen Shui-bian came into office, he ended consultations. Consultations were conducted through representatives of private industry, Some officials simultaneously served as "consultants." But they were authorized to deal only with certain matters.

After Ma Ying-jeou came into office, cross-Strait relations swiftly moved towards reconciliation. The atmosphere improved by leaps and bounds. Exchanges proliferated. Officials met with each other directly. Many departments engaged in direct cooperation and exchanges. High officials engaged in frequent exchanges. Local officials engaged in even more frequent exchanges. Add to this tourism, trade, investments, and student exchanges. In essence, the two sides have already established contacts on different levels. These include official contacts, business cooperation, and the recognition of each others' authority and jurisdiction. These have established an implicit recognition of each others' legal status, predicated upon equality, coexistence, and mutual respect.

The Republic of China's representative office in Hong Kong and Macao can now go by the same name as its offices in foreign countries. Its personnel can receive the same level of treatment. This means the Republic of China government, the Hong Kong government, and the Macao government recognize each others' legal status. This recognition need not be explicit, but merely understood. Equality and mutual respect between officials will promote future cooperation and exchange.

The Republic of China government, the Hong Kong government, and the Macao government consulted several times and arrived at this decision. One reason they were able to do so, was a common concern for economic development. Another was Beijing's willingness to be flexible. The governments of the Hong Kong SAR and Macao SAR are special cases. They need not be considered precedents. But if cross-Strait relations continue to improve, the model could be replicated for other local governments on the Chinese mainland. Exchanges between Taiwan and the Chinese mainland could be comprehensive and extensive. Exchanges between the provinces and cities could become increasingly close. When the time is ripe, the governments on both sides could further investigate how to dispatch properly accredited representatives to each others jurisdictions.

President Ma recently attended the 20th anniversary celebration of the Straits Exchange Foundation. The government officially declared an end to the Period of Communist Rebellion and abolished the Temporary Provisions. It no longer refers to the authorities in Beijing as a "rebel group." But it still cannot recognize the Chinese mainland as a sovereign and independent state. According to the Republic of China Constitution, the Chinese mainland is part of the Republic of China. As a result, Taipei and Beijing have decided not to recognize each others sovereignty, but at the same time, not to deny each others jurisdiction. This has enabled the two sides to establish an equitable framework for cross-Strait peace and development, and an important foundation for other exchanges. Cross-Strait consultations must be conducted on the basis of equality, dignity, and reciprocity, to protect the interests of the people.

The Republic of China's representative office in Hong Kong and Macao has been renamed. Officials from the Hong Kong SAR and Macao SAR will set up offices on Taiwan. President Ma's proposals have been realized. Cross-Strait exchanges must be sustainable and long term. This means ensuring the sovereignty of the Republic of China, and attending to the interests of its citizens. This means a determination to seek common ground. At this stage, the two sides are refraining from denying each others legitimacy. The two sides are engaged in cooperation and exchange on issues of substance, Bit by bit, the two sides are laying a solid foundation for reconciliation and shared prosperity. This will eventually enable people on both sides to enjoy a better future.

Not long ago, former Mainland Affairs Council Chairman Joseph Wu advocated replacing the 1992 Consensus with the Macao Model. But consider the cross-Strait status quo. The Macao Model is utterly inadequate. The Ma administration has made tremendous strides in cross-Strait relations. Any attempt to revert to the past would set the two sides back. The Republic of China's representative office in Hong Kong and Macao has made enormous progress. The DPP really needs to adopt a more pragmatic approach, one that does not return cross-Strait policy to the past. The situation is clear. The two sides have made immense progress. Ma Ying-jeou has achieved astonishing results during his first term in office. Everyone on Taiwan is a beneficiary. Therefore whoever assumes office next, must maintain these policies.

港澳辦事處更名 兩岸關係大突破
2011-07-07
中國時報

我駐香港及澳門機構，最近均更名為和其他駐外館相同的「台北經濟文化辦事處」，不只地位、功能大幅提升，駐港澳人員也可享有駐外人員優遇；而港澳政府也將來台設立辦事機構。這是雙方首度互設官方性質的辦事處，對兩岸關係而言，具有指標性的重大意義。

過去四十五年來，我駐港機構一直稱為「中華旅行社」，不僅常常遭到誤解，也無法反映駐外機構的地位。而且以往我駐港機構與港府的聯繫，須透過港府的特定窗口，現在我方可以和港府相關部門直接聯繫。陸委會官員認為，這代表我方和港府彼此獲得「官方往來」的尊重和待遇。

此外，我國也核准香港和澳門，來台設立「香港經濟貿易文化辦事處」與「澳門經濟文化辦事處」，由港澳政府調派現職人員出任。換句話說，雙方都不需要再隔一層白手套，以台港澳往昔的隔閡，這是過去難以想像的突破。

兩岸的互動非常微妙，李登輝當政時由兩會擔任白手套，以避免面對及定位對方政府的難題。陳水扁執政時兩會協商停擺，由民間行業團體代表協商，雖然有官員擔任「顧問」同行，但只能處理部分交流事務。

馬英九上台後兩岸關係積極走向和解，氣氛大為改善，各項交流紛紛推動，不要說政府官員能夠直接參與兩會協商，甚至許多部門都已直接推動合作交流，高層級的官員頻頻互訪，地方政府首長來往更是熱絡，再加上旅遊、經貿、投資乃至留學。可以說，在實質上，雙方已經藉由不同層次的官方接觸、業務合作乃至承認對方的公權力與管轄權，隱約建立起一種對彼此法定地位的「對等、共存、相互尊重」模式。

如今駐港澳辦事處能夠改用與其他外館同樣的名稱、人員取得同樣的待遇，至少代表著港澳政府與台灣政府對彼此法定地位的某種認可；不必言明，但領會在心。並且在官方對等尊重的模式下，推動未來的合作交流。

港澳之所以在與台灣數度協商後作此決定，一方面是著眼於經濟利益的開發，但同時也反映出大陸中央願意展現的彈性空間。尤其港澳是特區政府，現在可以被視為特例，不作擴大解釋。但如果兩岸關係繼續朝良性發展，這樣的模式，將來或許可以複製在中國大陸其他的地方政府，因為台灣與大陸的交往全面而廣泛，各省市的互動愈來愈綿密。甚至在時機成熟後，兩岸政府可以進一步研究出彼此派駐適當代表機構的模式。

馬總統日前出席海基會廿周年慶祝大會時表示，政府終止動員戡亂時期、廢止臨時條款，不再將大陸視為「叛亂集團」，但仍無法承認大陸是一個主權獨立國家，因為大陸仍是憲法規定的「中華民國的固有疆域」，因此，「互不承認主權，互不否認治權」，是目前能夠解釋並實現兩岸和平發展、對等交流的重要基礎。兩岸任何協商必須秉持對等、尊嚴及互惠的原則，以保障人民利益。

台灣駐港澳辦事處的更名與港澳來台設處，便可以視為馬總統上述主張的實踐。兩岸互動要能蓬勃長久，必須能夠兼顧雙方的人民利益與主權尊嚴，並且致力於求同存異，現階段互不否認的官方平等往來，藉由許多實質事務上的合作交流，點點滴滴為兩岸和解共榮營造出堅實基礎，必然有助於將兩岸人民帶向更美好的未來。

雖然前陸委會主委吳釗燮不久前曾提出以「澳門模式」取代「九二共識」，但對照兩岸互動之現狀，「澳門模式」根本遠遠不及今天馬政府獲致的兩岸進展，再重提舊事只是讓進度倒退。當台港澳駐處取得如此進展時，民進黨方面真的應該好好思索出一個務實且不致讓關係倒退的兩岸政策。因為事實很明顯，兩岸關係的進展，已在馬英九任內達到了至今最大成果，獲益者是台灣全體，因此也是任何執政者應持續維護的。