National Affairs Conference on Trade and Economics should be Organized by Academia Sinica

National Affairs Conference on Trade and Economics should be Organized by Academia Sinica
China Times editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China)
A Translation
April 17, 2014

Summary: A crisis is a turning point. The STA dispute has just given social development a new direction. We urge the ruling and opposition parties to set aside their differences, capitalize on the trend, work together to make this National Affairs Conference on Trade and Economics a success. Give young people opportunity and hope. This is the way to benefit the nation.

Full text below:

After the student movement ended, the Executive Yuan began planning a National Affairs Conference on Trade and Economics. But difficulties arose with the Advisory Group list. It was also necessary to increase community involvement. Therefore the June meeting was postponed until July. The affairs of the nation are overwhelming. A conference to establish a national consensus is essential. But the social divisions uncovered by the Sunflower Student Movement are serious. They include divisions over cross-Strait relations, reunification vs. independence, left vs. right economic policy, and generational justice. The Executive Yuan attempted to single-handedly hold a National Affairs Conference on Trade and Economics confined to economic and trade issues. In the end it died a natural death and nothing was achieved.

When students occupied the Legislative Yuan and demanded a "Peoples Constitutional Conference," the government responded. Together with business groups it proposed the convening of national conference. Premier Chiang approved a National Affairs Conference on Trade and Economics in June. During Taiwan's democratization, it has convened a National Conference, a National Development Conference, a Sustainable Development Conference, and an Economic Development Advisory Conference. It has abundant experience and has established many precedents. These have provided the government with suggestions from different sectors, enabled ruling and opposition party dialogue, resolved differences, created a consensus, and blazed a trail for the future.

But society is divided over a National Affairs Conference on Trade and Economics. The private sector "Citizens Constitutional Conference" argues that the key is Taiwan's many unresolved constitutional problems, and that the government should not use the STA to avoid the problem. It even thinks that the National Conference is merely  a children's tea party. But as China Times editorials have proposed before, the Citizens Constitutional Conference, once convened, could open a Pandora's box of controversial reunification vs. independence issues. When discussing the issue of reunification vs. independence, it is easy to issue a manifesto and dig in one's heels. This leads to out of control cross-Strait relations, political chaos and unrest, The costs outweigh the benefits.

Therefore we affirm Premier Chiang's National Affairs Conference on Trade and Economics. It was the right decision. The STA is a trade issue. The conference uses this as its theme. It explores ways to link Taiwan with the international community and Taiwan with the Mainland. It explores ways to enable Taiwan's participation in regional economic integration, and addresses STA-related national security issues and economic interests, These can all be given comprehensive consideration during the conference. We believe this is a good way to discuss Taiwan's future. Discussing cross-Strait relations under the STA umbrella ensures focus, and avoids becoming sidetracked by reunification vs independence controversies. The government announced early this year that it would attempt to revive the economy. It must get through this as quickly as possible.

The Executive Yuan has handed the difficult task of convening the National Affairs Conference on Trade and Economics to the newly established National Development Council. But the government has low poll ratings. Attempting to convene a consensus building conference satisfactory to both the Blue Camp and the Green camp is impossible. The National Development Conference is responsible for Executive Yuan policy development. The Free Trade Zone Pilot Program is its top priority. The Free Trade Zone land deregulation provisions have provoked social movement opposition. To avoid the Free Trade Zone from going the way of the STA, the NDC must adopt comprehensive preventive measures. We are concerned that the NDC lacks the energy to convene a National Affairs Conference on Trade and Economics.

We urge the ROC government to recruit people from politically neutral agencies acceptable to the public, and allow them to organize the conference. The government should shuttle between impartial agencies, and facilitate dialogue and consultation between dedicated members of the ruling and opposition parties.

With this in mind, the Academia Sinica is the most appropriate organizer. The Academia Sinica is the ancient Imperial Academy. Academia personnel are leaders in various fields of knowledge. The 258 academicians are held in high esteem. They are national treasures. The Academia Sinica is the nation's highest academic research organization. It is already shouldering the expectations of society and putting forward policy recommendations. Having the Academia Sinica plan, co-ordinate, hold, and convene the meeting, and afterwards issue national policy recommendations, will transcend Blue vs. Green politics and establish a precedent for the government's future reference.

Is important to convene a successful National Affairs Conference on Trade and Economics, establish a consensus, ensure that everyone is on the same page, establish a routine, set an agenda, prepare a meeting, select a chairman, and afterwards, issue supplementary information. Initial planning meetings are being held by various ministries based on their areas of responsibility. The meetings are being conducted by groups. Eventually the General Assembly will draw conclusions. But the government also wants to increase public participation, and listen to the views of the younger generation. Therefore its use of the Internet and live media are especially meaningful. During the student movement, the new technology defeated the traditional media. The iPad defeated SNG vehicles. Only those adept at using the latest high-technology were able to attract young people. The technology allows young people to prepare topics, provide advice, participate in online activities, and reach a final conclusion. Only this constitutes a successful, modern National Affairs Conference on Trade and Economics.

A crisis is a turning point. The STA dispute has just given social development a new direction. We urge the ruling and opposition parties to set aside their differences, capitalize on the trend, work together to make this National Affairs Conference on Trade and Economics a success. Give young people opportunity and hope. This is the way to benefit the nation.

社論－經貿國是會議應委由中研院舉辦
2014年04月17日 04:10 中國時報 編輯部

學運落幕後，行政院開始規畫召開「經貿國是會議」，卻因顧問小組名單難喬，也需要慎思如何擴大民間參與，因而決定將預定6月舉行的會議延期到7月。國事如麻，當前確有召開全國性共識會議的必要，但我們必須坦率指出，太陽花學運所反映的社會歧異現象，包括兩岸關係統與獨、經濟政策左或右及世代正義問題，均極其嚴重，行政院企圖憑一己之力召開局限經貿議題的國是會議，最後不是無疾而終就是一事無成。

當初政府是為了回應學生占領立院時要求「公民憲政會議」，及工商團體建議召開「國是會議」，而由江揆拍板於6月召開「經貿國是會議」。台灣在民主化過程中，曾先後舉行國是會議、國家發展會議、經續會、經發會等，已經有足夠的前例與經驗可以遵循，確實有助於政府聽取各界建言、促成朝野對話、化解歧見、凝聚共識，為台灣找到出路。

但目前社會對於經貿國是會議已有不同的聲音，民間自發成立的「公民憲政會議推動連線」就強調，台灣許多懸而未決的憲政難題才是關鍵，政府不應以「經貿」問題迴避，甚至認為經貿國是會議只是行政權在扮家家酒。但正如《中國時報》社論之前的主張，召開公民憲政會議很容易打開統獨爭議的潘朵拉之盒。討論統獨問題時，很容易為堅持理念而無限上綱，因而失控造成政治失序和兩岸關係動盪，最後得不償失。

因此我們要肯定江揆設定經貿為主題的國是會議，這是正確的決定。服貿是經貿問題，會議主軸由此出發，思考和台灣和國際、大陸經貿接軌、參與區域經濟整合問題，服貿引起的國安問題及經貿利益分配問題，都可以在會中有全盤性的考量，相信這是探討台灣未來很好的切入方向。在經貿為題的大帽子下，討論兩岸關係，既可以聚焦，又可以避免發散到統獨爭議。年初政府就宣布今年要拚經濟，必須盡快打通此督脈。

行政院已將舉辦國是會議的艱鉅任務交給新成立的國發會，可是，以政府當今的低民調支持率，要舉行讓藍綠皆滿意的凝聚共識會議，似乎緣木求魚。而且國發會當今承擔行政院的施政發展規畫外，自由經濟示範區又是重中之重。而示範區用地鬆綁的規定，逐漸引燃各地社運團體的反對，為避免自由經濟示範區恐步服貿後塵，國發會必須全力以赴防微杜漸，我們擔心國發會是否行有餘力來承擔經貿國是會議重任。

我們建議，政府應該委由國人可以接受，政治中立的單位來承辦國是會議，透過公正單位的穿梭協助，促成朝野及有志之士的對話與協商。

以此考量，中央研究院是最好的承辦單位。中研院是古代的翰林院，院中的研究人才都是各知識領域的翹楚，258位院士望重士林，是不折不扣的國寶人物。中研院為全國學術研究最高機關，本來就肩負社會眾望與提出政策建言的任務；因此由中研院來統籌規畫國是會議，舉行並召開，之後並作成國是建言，將可跨越藍綠，並為以後政府的施政參考。

要成功召開國是會議，凝聚共識，避免各說各話，流於形式，議題的設定、會議準備、主席的選擇，乃至於事後資料補充，就非常重要。目前初步規畫的開會方式，是依議題由各負責的部會認領，以分組方式進行，最後再由大會做總結。但政府也希望擴大民意參與、傾聽年輕世代意見，因此透過網路平台及媒體的實況就特別有意義。學運時，新科技打敗傳媒，iPad打敗SNG車。唯有善用最新的高科技，才能吸引年輕人。讓年輕人可以擬訂議題、提供意見，線上參與所有的過程，最後得到結論，才能說是現代成功的國是會議。

危機正是轉機，服貿爭議正好給予社會一個發展的新方向。我們也誠摯呼籲朝野拋棄歧見，因勢利導，共同把這次經貿國是會議做好，也給年輕人機會與希望，此方為國家之福。