Boao Wu/Li Meeting: Testing the Waters

Boao Wu/Li Meeting: Testing the Waters
China Times editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)
A Translation
April 2, 2012

Summary: It has been ten years since the founding of the Boao Forum for Asia. This year its eleventh annual meeting will be held on Hainan Island. Over the past decade, Mainland China has undergone wide-ranging reform and liberalization. The Beijing government has become increasingly active in international economic and trade affairs.

Full Text below:

It has been ten years since the founding of the Boao Forum for Asia. This year its eleventh annual meeting will be held on Hainan Island. Over the past decade, Mainland China has undergone wide-ranging reform and liberalization. The Beijing government has become increasingly active in international economic and trade affairs.

Beijing was initially hesitant to participate in international economic and trade forums. It feared superpower pressure. Other governments also harbored doubts about Mainland China's development. They worried that Beijing would would use Mainland China's vast market and enormous productivity to disrupt the existing international economic order. They said they hoped Beijing would be a "responsible partner."

Ten years later, the governments of a few dominant nations still have reservations about Mainland China. But Beijing does not seek to confront them. Instead it has formed the Boao Forum, and holds summits with the BRICS nations. It uses its own Sino-centric forum to establish its own international status.

Taipei's participation in the Boao Forum for Asia is similar to its participation in APEC. It hopes to break out of its isolation. It seeks a forum in which it will treated as an equal. It seeks dialogue, both with Beijing and with the leaders of other nations. The Boao Forum however, holds a special place in the promotion of cross-Strait cooperation.

In 2008, Ma and Siew were elected president and vice president. Authorities on both sides of the Strait were eager to establish channels of communication. Many self-styled secret emissaries shuttled back and forth between the Mainland and Taiwan. But they lacked credentials, and their interactions lacked transparency. Then Vice President-elect Vincent Siew attended the Boao Forum several times. Just before his inauguration he visited Hainan Island. He was accompanied by National Security Council Secretary-General Su Chi. As Chairman of the Cross-Strait Common Market Foundation, he met with President Hu Jintao, and laid the foundation for cross-Strait interaction.

Vice President-elect Wu Den-yih has stepped down as Premier. He will attend the Boao Forum as a private citizen. Interestingly enough, the Permanent Deputy Prime Minister of the State Council Li Keqiang will meet with Wu Den-yih before the opening, not Hu Jintao or Wen Jiabao. This arrangement may be unintentional, but it is appropriate. In October of this year, during the Chinese Communist Party's 18th Party Congress, Li Keqiang will be promoted to Premier. He ranks number two in the party. Wu Den-yih is vice president-elect. For him to meet Li Keqiang is consistent with the principle of peer-parity.

This was the first time the two ever met. But the atmosphere was congenial. The two addressed each other as "Mr." Li Keqiang began with the observation that "When compatriots meet, and friends recognize each other, it is a joyous occasion." Wu Den-yih responded with, "This may be only our first meeting, But your reputation precedes you."

During the meeting, Wu Den-yih offered these words: "Cross-Strait peace, seeking common ground while shelving differences, valuing trust, building neighborly relations, putting the livelihood of the people first." He said he hoped the two sides would continue their pragmatic consultations, and create more happiness for the people. Wu Den-yih made a point of reading these words verbatim, from notes. He wanted to underscore their gravity, and demonstrate that they were not merely his personal views.

These words are familiar. They have been spoken in the past. The two sides do adhere to a consensus. This consensus includes "cross-Strait peace, seeking common ground while shelving differences." But it also includes a new part, "valuing trust, building neighborly relations, putting the livelihood of the people first." Putting the livelihood of the people first has long been the cross-Strait consensus. Taipei hopes that economic and trade issues, including agreements on insurance and financial cooperation, can be reached as soon as possible.

Wu Den-yih stressed "valuing trust and establishing harmony." Over the past few years, Beijing has stressed the Harmonious Society. This is consistent with traditional culture, which values peace and harmony. Valuing trust and establishing harmony has another meaning. It stresses the need for a continuity of policy on the Taipei side. It hopes for the renewal of policy on the Beijing side following the change in leadership.

Four years ago, when Vincent Siew met Hu Jintao, he proposed that the two sides "Face reality, create the future, set aside disputes, and pursue win/win." Hu Jintao responded, suggesting that the two sides "work together, establish mutual trust, set aside disputes, and pursue win/win." This time however, Li did not offer an immediate response.

Beijing's response at the time was the result of context. Eight years of crises had rocked cross-Strait relations. The two sides hoped to swiftly reestablish stable relations. Now however, the Ma administration has been in office for four years. Beijing has higher expectations for Ma's second term. Therefore, they are being particularly careful in their response.

Following the Wu/Li Meeting, State Council Taiwan Affairs Office Director Wang Yi spoke about Beijing's expectations at a reception. He noted that cross-Strait economic cooperation proceeds "from the easy to the difficult." Increasing mutual political trust will pave the way for problem-solving. Wang Yi said the two sides should further safeguard, consolidate, and deepen political trust. Only then can they promote economic cooperation. Only then can they provide a solid foundation for the solution of a multitude of economic problems. Only then can they create a more favorable environment, and generate more sustained momentum.

Such a response was consistent with Beijing's long held policy statements. It was not surprising. But we would like to emphasize that Taipei recently made or will make three major Mainland policy statements. Wu Den-yih's words were a continuation of former KMT Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung's reference to "one country, two areas." President Ma Ying-jeou will give his inaugural speech on May 20. Cross-Strait policy over the next four years will be fully outlined. Those concerned with cross-Strait relations should give these special attention and careful consideration.
   
中時電子報 新聞
中國時報 　2012.04.02
社論－博鰲吳李會 兩岸試水溫
本報訊

    　博鰲亞洲論壇成立以來已經十年了，今年是在海南島的第十一次會晤。這十年來，我們看到中國改革開放的路線走得更穩固，越來越積極參與國際經貿事務。

    　不可否認的，中國當初對參與國際經貿論壇會議，是抱著遲疑態度，生怕在其中被強權壓制；國際也曾經對中國的發展提出過疑慮，擔心中國會仰仗自己龐大的市場與生產力，企圖打破既存國際經濟金融秩序，希望中國做為「負責任的合夥人」。

    　但是十年下來，中國雖然對現在被少數國家把持的秩序有所保留，但是中國並不尋求對抗，反而經由籌組博鰲論壇與金磚五國高峰會，這樣以中國為主的的論壇，找尋自己的國際定位。

    　台灣參加博鰲亞洲論壇，也像參加亞太經合會一樣，爭取走出去的機會，並在平等的論壇上，尋求與大陸及其他國家領袖對話的機會。但在促進兩岸合作方面，博鰲論壇占有特殊的地位。

    　二○○八年馬蕭剛當選，兩岸急於找出互動的管道與模式，雖然自稱密使的，穿梭兩岸不在少數，但是都缺乏代表性，也沒有透明度，當時副總統當選人蕭萬長，過去也曾固定參加博鰲論壇，於是就在就職前，由內定國安會秘書長蘇起陪同，來到海南島，以兩岸共同市場基金會董事長身分與國家主席胡錦濤見面，鋪下了雙方互動的基礎。

    　如今副總統當選人吳敦義，在卸下行政院長一職後，同樣以私人身分參加博鰲論壇。值得注意的是，博鰲論壇開幕前，與吳敦義見面的，不是胡錦濤，也不是溫家寶，而是國務院常任副總理李克強，這個安排即使不是刻意，也是非常適切的，在今年十月中共十八大之後，李克強即將升任國務院總理，黨內排名第二，吳敦義以候任副總統身分，與李克強見面，符合對等適切原則。

    　兩人雖然是首次見面，但是氣氛是很融洽的，兩人互以「先生」稱呼對方，李克強的開場是：「同胞相見，朋友相識，都是愉悅的事情」，吳敦義說，「初次見面，但遠勝聞名」。

    　在會晤中，吳敦義提出十六字箴言，即「兩岸和平、求同存異，講信修睦，民生為先」，希望兩岸繼續務實協商，為人民創造更大的幸福。這十六字箴言，吳敦義是特別拿出紙照唸，表達慎重，以示這並非個人看法。

    　我們認為這十六字，有些是過去曾經談過，兩岸是有共識的，包括「兩岸和平、求同存異」，但增添新意的部分則是「講信修睦，民生為先」，民生為先本來就是兩岸的共識，台灣方面所期待的是經貿議題，能夠盡快達成投保協議與金融合作等協議。

    　而「講信修睦」，吳敦義特別強調語出禮運大同篇，這與過去幾年來，大陸當局強調和諧社會，以和為貴的傳統文化精神是相合的，而講信修睦的另一層意思，在於強調台灣這邊政策的持續性，也期待大陸領導人換屆後，政策能夠延續。

    　在四年前，蕭萬長與胡錦濤會面時，曾提出「正視現實，開創未來，擱置爭議，追求雙贏」十六字箴言，當時胡錦濤則回以「共同努力，建立互信，擱置爭議，共創雙贏」十六字訣，但這次會晤中，李克強並沒有立即有回應。

    　當時大陸方面的回應有特殊時空背景，希望在八年危殆震盪的兩岸關係之後，能夠迅速展開平穩的關係；現在經過馬政府四年執政後，大陸方面對馬的第二任有更高的期待，所以回應也格外的謹慎。

    　「吳李會」之後，國台辦主任王毅在歡迎酒會中，則提出大陸的期待。他指出，兩岸經濟合作正「由易入難」，增進政治互信是解決問題的前提；王毅說，兩岸應該進一步維護、鞏固並不斷深化兩岸雙方之間的政治互信，這樣才能為推進經濟合作，以及解決經濟領域的各種問題提供更堅實的保障，營造更有利的環境，產生更持續的動力。

    　這樣的回應，其實是符合長久以來大陸方面一貫的政策，並不令人意外。但是我們願意強調，台灣最近已有或將有三次重要的大陸政策宣示，吳敦義的談話，是繼前國民黨主席吳伯雄的「一國兩區」之後，加上未來馬英九總統五二○就職談話，將對未來四年兩岸政策做全面鋪陳，這是值得關心兩岸關係的人士注意並深思的。