Wang Zhang Meeting: Creating the Conditions for a Ma Xi Meeting

Wang Zhang Meeting: Creating the Conditions for a Ma Xi Meeting
China Times editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China)
A Translation
February 10, 2014

Summary: Following the Wang Zhang meeting, Director Zhang Zhijun will visit Taiwan later this year. Taiwan will be in the grip of election fever. The two sides have much to do. Where there is a will, there is a way. The two sides must take full advantage of creative thinking and strategic ambiguity. The authorities on both sides must consider the big picture. They must consider long term development from a strategic and national perspective. They must continue their efforts to make a Ma Xi meeting a reality in November. 

Full text below:

MAC Chairman Wang Yu-chi departed today. He will arrive on the Mainland for a 4-day visit. He will hold talks with the Mainland's Taiwan Affairs Office Director Zhang Zhijun. The two sides of the Strait have been ruled separately for over 60 years. The SEF and ARATS have interacted with each other through "white gloves," or middlemen. This is the first time top officials from the two sides' cross-strait affairs agencies have held formal talks. The political significance cannot be overstated, and has become the focus of public concern.

Some are calling this a major breakthrough in cross-strait relations. Some regard it as a major milestone. Cross-strait relations are developing in a healthy, positive, and forward looking way. But this newspaper has greater expectations. We hope that from this day forth, the two sides can enjoy a more mature, stable, and rational relationship, one that is irreversible and not subject to manipulation, one that is stable and immune to changes in the ruling party. Once such a mechanism for interaction is established, it will be a blessing not only for Taiwan, but for both sides. It will also benefit regional security and stability. It should be welcomed by all.

Before Wang and Zhang formally meet, the two sides will communicate and coordinate behind the scenes. Taiwan has its concerns. The Mainland has its requirements. Where the two sides will meet, when they will meet, what issues they will discuss, what the object of the meeting will be, which agencies will participate, what speeches will be delivered, and what protocol will be followed, will all be planned in advance. How can we express our position in a manner that is neither obsequious nor provocative? That is a question that will require careful consideration. Both sides are "feeling the stones while crossing the river." They are carefully performing cost benefit analysis. They will have to undergo a period of trial and error. If the meeting finally materializes, it will mean representatives from both sides demonstrated goodwill, sincerity, and flexibility. It will mean they were able to respect each other and compromise with each other. It will surely merit recognition.

As Taipei officials said, the Wang Zhang meeting requires equality, dignity and mutual trust. The host may follow the guest's lead. Or the guest may follow the host's lead. For now, all that is required is that observers not draw the wrong conclusions, or internal politics upset the apple cart. Apparently neither side wants to make life difficult for the other, provoke suspicions in the other, or set a trap for the other. Neither side wants to appear smug. Both want to accomodate the other side's reasonable requests. This is the only way the two sides can overcome the odds and fulfill their original intention of having the two men meet. This is helpful to the healthy development of cross-strait relations. The authorities on both sides have demonstrated a healthy attitude, one that is rational and pragmatic. They must continue doing so.

The current Wang Zhang meeting is indeed an historic step . It means that the peaceful development of cross-strait relations has progressed. It is now undergoing consolidation and institutionalization. In the real world, developments may or may not follow a straight line. Not everything can be plain sailing. Occasionally there will be ups and downs, even shake ups. But as the saying goes, "He who wins the hearts of the people, wins the world." As long as we go with the flow, popular initiatives will usually develop naturally, on their own. They will not be affected by the subjective whims of a tiny minority. As long as the authorities on both sides ride the momentum, and keep pace with the times, they will create the atmosphere and conditions needed. People will be able to look forward to improved cross-strait relations.

This is the eve of the Wang Zhang meeting. The Legislature passed a resolution making all sorts of issues taboo. The DPP clings rigidly to its separatist stance. It persists in undermining cross-strait relations. It persists in exaggerating the differences between the two sides. But the pursuit of peace, economic development, and stability is the national consensus. It is an inexorable  trend and an indisputable fact. Artificial and malicious obstruction may delay the process, but it cannot reverse the course of history. This newspaper has long argued that genuine love for Taiwan must be rooted in reason. A "Taiwan consciousness" may safeguard the interests of Taiwan. We absolute support good faith efforts to do so. But we urge the DPP to see the error of its ways. Taiwan independence is a blind alley.

As we all know, cross-strait interactions have been going on for many years. The two sides agreed to put economics first and politics last, to tackle easy problems first and difficult problems last, to deal with practical matters first and talk policy last, to confront political problems last, and to move ahead gradually. This is fully consistent with the spirit of the National Unification Guidelines. The two agencies are quasi-offical bodies. Basically they deal with exchanges resulting from routine business. Their future roles may need to be modified. But in the short term they will remain the same. The two agencies are still necessary. They may be needed on a rainy day.

The current Wang Zhang meeting means that the two sides have already begun official direct contacts. It will further build cross-strait trust under the ageis of institutional exchanges. Obviously this differs somewhat from the work of the two agencies. The emphasis should be placed on future policy issues. The ultimate political issues should be left for Ma and Xi to deal with when they meet. Can Ma Ying-jeou successfully meet with Xi Jinping in November at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference? If he can, this will be the culmination of cross-strait relations. It will be worth the wait and the effort.

This newspaper would like to issue a reminder. Following the Wang Zhang meeting, Director Zhang Zhijun will visit Taiwan later this year. Taiwan will be in the grip of election fever. The two sides have much to do. Where there is a will, there is a way. The two sides must take full advantage of creative thinking and strategic ambiguity. The authorities on both sides must consider the big picture. They must consider long term development from a strategic and national perspective. They must continue their efforts to make a Ma Xi meeting a reality in November. 

社論－王張會：為馬習會創造條件
稍後再讀
中國時報 編輯部
2014年02月11日 04:10

陸委會主委王郁琦今天啟程前往中國大陸，進行4天訪問活動，他將與大陸國台辦主任張志軍舉行會談。這是兩岸分治60多年，繼海基、海協兩會以白手套方式進行互動之後，雙方主管兩岸事務官方機構首長的首度正式會談，政治意義不言可喻，已成為各界關心的焦點。

對此，有人稱之為兩岸關係的重大突破，有人將其視為重大的里程碑，本報在對兩岸關係這種健康、正面、積極的發展給予肯定之餘，還有更進一步的期許，期望從今而後，雙方關係能夠進入一個更成熟、更穩定、更理性的階段，形成一種不可逆轉、不受人為操縱、不因政黨輪替而改變的深層穩定結構，這種機制性的互動一旦確定，將不但是台灣之福，兩岸之福，也對區域安全與穩定有極大的助益，應為眾人所樂見。

在王、張二人正式會面之前，相信兩岸雙方必然在幕後進行過密切的溝通與協調。台灣有台灣的顧忌，大陸有大陸的立場，雙方在何處見面、見面的時間、討論的議題、會見的對象、參訪的機構、演講的內容、接待的規格等等都有過沙盤推演，如何不卑不亢的既要表達立場，但又不蓄意挑釁找碴，都要經過仔細的考量。雙方都在摸著石頭過河，精算其中的利弊得失，其中必然曾經有過一段發展及折衝的過程，會面終於實現，代表雙方都展現了善意、誠意與靈活，能夠彼此尊重、相互妥協，值得肯定。

誠如台北官方所言，王、張會面要在對等、尊嚴及互信的基礎上進行。就目前看來，不管是主隨客便或客隨主便，只要在不引發外界不當聯想或內政風波的前提下，雙方主其事者顯然無意給對方增加困難或製造猜忌，給對方設下陰謀陷阱，甚至還願適度的滿足、配合對方的一些合理要求。因為唯有如此，這才符合雙方排除萬難，安排兩人見面的初衷，也對兩岸關係的良性發展有所助益。兩岸當局這種健康的心態與理性務實的作法，務必持之以恆的延續下去。

這次王、張會晤確實是歷史性的一步，意味著兩岸關係的和平發展已經進入深化、鞏固及機制化的階段。雖然在現實的世界裡，事物的發展未必會是直線進行，凡事也不可能一帆風順，間或還會有所起伏，甚至動盪，但所謂得民心者得天下，只要是順天應人、得民心的舉措多半還是會有其自然的發展規律，不會隨著少數人的主觀意志而轉移。今後只要兩岸當局能夠把握勢頭，與時俱進，不但營造氣氛而且還能創造條件，兩岸關係的未來還是可以讓人有所期待。

在王、張會晤前夕，雖然立法院曾經通過決議，要求這個不准談、那個不能碰，民進黨出於僵化的分離主義立場，仍然蓄意要破壞兩岸關係的發展，誇大兩岸之間的歧異，但追求和平、發展、安定已成全民共識，大勢所趨是個不爭的事實，人為的惡意阻擾容或會延緩事務的發展，但已難逆轉歷史的進程。真道理性真愛台灣是本報一貫的主張，對於台灣主體意識、維護台灣利益我們抱持善意的理解與絕對的支持，但仍要規勸民進黨早日回頭是岸，台獨是沒有出路的。

一如所知，兩岸互動多年，雙方一直本著先經後政、先易後難的方式，先處理事務再談政策，最後才面對政治問題，循序漸進的往前發展，這完全符合國統綱領的精神。兩會屬於準官方機構之間的一軌半互動，基本上是處理雙方交流過程中所產生的一些日常性業務，未來職能即或有所調整，但短期內不必然就會淡出，兩會的存在仍然有其必要，甚至可備不時之需。

這次王、張會晤意味著兩岸已經進入官方的一軌接觸，在兩岸能夠進一步建立互信、機制性往來的前提下，顯然有必要和兩會的工作有所區隔，將來重點應該放在處理政策性的議題上，至於最後的政治問題就應該是由大家所期望的馬、習會面加以處理，如果馬英九與習近平能在今年11月的亞太經合會成功見面，這才真是兩岸關係發展的最高潮，值得期待與努力。

最後，本報還是要再次提出呼籲，繼這次的王、張會晤之後，張志軍主任將於今年下半年訪台，即使台灣已經進入政治旺季，但雙方應為、可為之事仍多。人有多大的膽識，事情就有多大的可能，兩岸各界都要善用創造性的思維與策略性的模糊，雙方當局更要由大局出發，從國家、民族長遠發展的戰略高度來看待問題，不斷為11月的馬、習會進一步創造條件，從而促其實現，是所至囑。