Let Zhang Zhijun see Taiwan's Most Beautiful Scenery

Let Zhang Zhijun see Taiwan's Most Beautiful Scenery
China Times editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)
A Translation
June 24, 2014

Summary: Both sides of the Strait see Zhang Zhijun's trip as a "journey of connection." This should be enough. The man is a guest. Zhang's visit is an expression of goodwill and sincerity, of rationality and pragmatism. Both sides have room to grow and learn. But certain DPP fringe elements, including student movement and social action groups, political parties, and politicians, have already vowed to make trouble. The ROC Constitution protects people's right to protest. But can they exercise their rights in an orderly manner? Can they express their ideas in a rational fashion? Can they prevent things from getting out of control? Or worse, will they deliberately emphasize their irrational and violent side, and put all of Taiwan to shame? It all hinges on a momentary whim. The government must proved that it is determined to ensure the safety and dignity of visitors.

Full Text Below:

Mainland Taiwan Affairs Office Director Zhang Zhijun will visit Taiwan tomorrow. This is an important event in cross-Strait history. If all goes well, government offices facilitating contacts between the two sides will be formalized. This has important implications for peaceful cross-Strait relations. This is a healthy development for both Taiwan, the Mainland, and the international community. It should be encouraged. Cross-Strait relations will experience ups and downs. There could be another change in ruling parties. But unless someone deliberately sabotages cross-Strait relations, they are unlikely to suffer a major setback. No wonder the visit has attracted attention both at home and abroad.

A successful visit to Taiwan by Zhang Zhijun would be a great achievement for authorities on both sides of the Strait, as well as the public on Taiwan. Therefore it must be given a chance to succeed. The time, the place, the participants, and the agenda of the visit will required careful planning. Many factors, substantive and symbolic, must be taken into account. Observers should not read too much into the visit. They should keep things as simple as possible. Nevertheless the visit will be an important moment in the history of cross-Strait relations, rife special political significance. The two sides will not sign any agreements. That has been confirmed. But will Zhang Zhijun come bearing gifts? Will Beijing offer unilateral concessions that benefit both sides? That remains to be seen.

Zhang Zhijun will deliberately avoid Taipei City, known as "the nation's capital." He will not meet with any senior central government officials other than Wang Yu-chi. He has yet to acknowledge the olive branch extended by DPP leader Tsai Ing-wen, who advocates Taiwan independence. Instead, he is preparing to meet with city mayors Eric Chu, Jason Hu, and Chen Chu. These three are blue and green camp leaders. Their numbers reflect the strength of the two political parties. This arrangement was the result of careful calculation, and conveys an important message. Beijing is clearly handling the matters with some delicacy. This inevitably reminds us of what the CCP leadership once said. It said that foreign affairs and Taiwan affairs are no small matter. Everything must be viewed from a strategic perspective in order to promote the national interest. It was not lying. It has done what it said it would.

The STA controversy that erupted on Taiwan has been a blow to cross-Strait relations. The CCP has reached its own internal conclusions. But externally, it has reacted with exceptional calm and rationality. It uttered no denunciations. It even expressed a willingness to listen to people from different walks of life on Taiwan. Zhang Zhijun is deliberately avoiding Taipei. He is deliberately not meeting with high officials and business tycoons. Instead he is comporting himself with modesty. He is visiting southern Taiwan in order to get close to the people. He is meeting with people from all strata of society. Clearly the Mainland considers the feelings of the "san zhong yi qing," or "three middles and one young" important. It is reaching out to southern Taiwan and to the middle and lower classes. It is walking the walk, not merely talking the talk. The CCP is behaving rationally and pragmatically vis a vis Taiwan. Its critics should acknowledge what it is doing.

Zhang Zhijun will visit Hsiaoling Village and Fo Guang Shan. The Mainland clearly understands Taiwan. The former was the hardest hit area when Typhoon Morakot struck Taiwan. The latter is the center of Buddhism in southern Taiwan. Zhang Zhijun is demonstrating the CCP's concern for the disadvantaged on Taiwan. He is affirming the socialization of religion on Taiwan. The power of public opinion and the socialization of religion on Taiwan, its concern for the public, has positively impacted the climate of violence, the future of the Mainland, and the role of NGOs in civil society. Taiwan's experience may provide the Mainland with a mirror.

Finally, consider the DPP's dilemma. The DPP seeks to undergo transformation. It seeks to change its image of kneejerk hatred for Mainland China. It has announced that it will not incite mob violence against Zhang Zhijun during his visit. Recently rumors have emerged that the DPP intends to freeze the "Taiwan independence party platform." If these become reality, that is a good thing. They are at least a step in the right direction. But Pollyanna-ish expectations would be premature.

The DPP and its supporters have never cared for anything other than political power. As long as the DPP refuses to forsake its commitment to separatism. its "reforms" will remain lip service and election rhetoric. Observers will continue to "listen to what it says, and look at what it does."

Both sides of the Strait see Zhang Zhijun's trip as a "journey of connection." This should be enough. The man is a guest. Zhang's visit is an expression of goodwill and sincerity, of rationality and pragmatism. Both sides have room to grow and learn. But certain DPP fringe elements, including student movement and social action groups, political parties, and politicians, have already vowed to make trouble. The ROC Constitution protects people's right to protest. But can they exercise their rights in an orderly manner? Can they express their ideas in a rational fashion? Can they prevent things from getting out of control? Or worse, will they deliberately emphasize their irrational and violent side, and put all of Taiwan to shame? It all hinges on a momentary whim. The government must proved that it is determined to ensure the safety and dignity of visitors.

社論－讓張志軍看到「台灣最美風景」
2014年06月24日 04:10
本報訊

大 陸國台辦主任張志軍明天將來台訪問，這是兩岸之間的重要大事，如果一切發展順利，應意味著兩岸主管官署之間的往來走向機制化，這對兩岸關係的和平發展具有 重要的指標性意義，對台灣、對兩岸、對大陸、對國際都屬正面、健康的發展方向，值得鼓勵，即或將來兩岸關係再有起伏動盪，台灣再度出現政黨輪替，除非有人 蓄意火中取栗，企圖全面破壞兩岸關係，否則兩岸關係逆轉的可能性恐怕很小，難怪引起國內外各界的關切與重視。

張志軍主任成功訪台的本身， 對兩岸當局及台灣民眾來說，應當就是一大成就，因此只能、只准成功。訪台的時機、參訪的地點、會晤的對象、談話的內容必然要經過精心的規畫，有各種考量， 兼具實質與象徵雙重意義，雖說外界不宜賦與太多的政治性解讀，讓事情越單純越好，但這畢竟是兩岸關係發展史上重要的一頁，當然還是有其特殊的政治意涵。目 前已經確定雙方並不會簽署任何協議，但張志軍是否會帶伴手禮前來，代表北京發布一些單方面的互惠措施，則還有待觀察。

張志軍此行刻意避開 號稱首都的台北市，不與王郁琦以外的中央政府高層官員會晤，也不回應依然主張台獨的民進黨黨魁蔡英文遞出橄欖枝，反而準備與朱立倫、胡志強與陳菊三位市長 見面，三位百里侯分屬藍、綠陣營，人數按照政黨實力妥善安排，不但有其巧思，而且傳達出一些重要訊息，由此我們可以看出北京處理事務細膩的程度，難免也讓 人想到當年中共高層所說，涉外、涉台事務無小事，一切要從具有戰略高度大局出發，要以國家利益為依歸，誠然不虛，說到做到。

這次台灣發生 的服貿爭議對兩岸造成極大的衝擊，中共當局自有其內部評估，但表現在外的反應確實相當的理性與自抑，非但沒有口出惡言，還不斷表達願意傾聽台灣各界不同的 民意，張志軍此行刻意避開台北，不與任何達官顯要、工商巨子會面，反而是以謙虛、親民的姿態南下，會晤各階層人士，顯見大陸對「三中一青」的重視，要向 南、向下沉的作法，並非嘴上說說，還付諸實踐。外界對於中共理性、務實的作法，或許應當給予適度的肯定。

張志軍還將前往小林村與佛光山訪 問，外界也可看出大陸對於台灣現況掌握的獨到一面。前者是台灣八八水災受創最重地區，後者則是南台灣地區的佛教重鎮，張志軍既展現了中共對台灣弱勢民眾的 關懷，似乎也對台灣宗教社會化的肯定。台灣民間力量及宗教對教化民心、關懷社會、改善暴戾之氣發生了重大正面作用，未來大陸在發展公民社會與非政府組織參 與方面，台灣的經驗或有可以借鏡之處。

最後，再談到民進黨的尷尬立場。民進黨想要轉型，袪除外界對其逢中必反的刻板印象，目前已經表明不 會號召群眾對來訪的張志軍採取抗議行動，最近還數度傳出民進黨有意凍結《台獨黨綱》，這些事情如能成為事實，當然不能說是壞事，至少是往正確方向邁出了一 小步，但對此暫時還不宜有童騃性的樂觀、不切實際的期望。

畢竟民進黨及其支持者從過去到現在，從來只有政治和權力邏輯，只要民進黨沒有徹底放棄分離主義的價值觀、行動與主張，一切所謂調整是否只是口頭論述及選舉的策略考量，外界還是要聽其言、觀其行。

兩 岸都將張志軍此行定位為溝通之旅，應是相當允當，來者是客，既然張主任此行是要表達善意與誠意，理性又務實，雙方都有成長與學習的空間，但民進黨的外圍組 織、某些所謂的學運及社運團體、特定的政黨和政治人物已經表明要如影隨形的進行抗議，雖說中華民國憲法保障人民合法的集會抗議、示威遊行權利，但如何有序 的行使權利，理性表達自己的主張，而不會失控，或凸顯自己不理性及暴力的一面，甚至讓整個台灣蒙羞，全在一念之間。政府也應該有依法保障來客安全與尊嚴的 決心與準備。