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MAC Chairman Hsia Hopes Meetings of Cross-Strait Leaders Will Be Institutionalized
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 2015/11/05
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MAC Chairman Hsia Hopes Meetings of Cross-Strait Leaders Will Be Institutionalized
Source: All Taipei newspapers November 5, 2015
The meeting between ROC President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and PRC President Xi Jinping (習近平) is slated to be held in Singapore on November 7. During a press conference in Taipei yesterday, Andrew Hsia (夏立言), Chairman of Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), stated that heads of cross-Strait affairs on both sides of the Strait had met on six occasions, which led to the signing of 23 agreements.
Hsia stated, “It is time for cross-Strait relations to move forward and for leaders from both sides of the Strait to meet. We hope that meetings between leaders on the two sides of the Strait will become institutionalized.”
Hsia went on to say, “The Ma-Xi meeting is a meeting between leaders on either side of the Strait, during which they will use ‘mister’ in addressing each other. However, wherever he goes, Ma is ROC President.”
When asked by the media if President Ma would mention that “one China” meant the Republic of China during his meeting with Xi, Hsia stated, “During the meeting, I believe that he will say what he is supposed to say.”
Hsia stated that the purpose of the Ma-Xi meeting was to consolidate peace across the Strait and stress the importance of maintaining the status quo of cross-Strait peace and prosperity based on the “1992 Consensus (九二共識).”
Hsia added, “Over the past seven years, especially the past two, many people have suggested that cross-Strait leaders meet on the sidelines of APEC meetings. The Mainland’s response was positive. When I met with my counterpart Zhang Zhijung (張志軍), director of Mainland China’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO), in Guangzhou in October, we touched upon the issue of a Ma-Xi meeting. It was Zhang that brought up the topic first.”
Hsia stated that, “The heads in charge of cross-Strait affairs on the two sides of the Strait have met six times and held four rounds of official talks. However, I have to admit that there are still many difficulties regarding cross-Strait issues.”
Hsia stated that, “I think that the time is ripe for the leaders of the two sides of the Strait to meet. I think that the Ma-Xi meeting is conducive to solving problems in cross-Strait relations. The Ma-Xi meeting has nothing to do with up-coming elections in Taiwan.”
Hsia stressed that there would be no political negotiations, no agreements signed, no joint statements issued, nor would any promises be made under the table during the Ma-Xi meeting.
Hsia stated that he hoped that meetings between the leaders from the two sides of the Strait could be institutionalized. “This time, President Ma will meet Xi. Maybe in the future, our national leaders will meet with Mainland leaders on a regular basis,” added Hsia.
According to a survey conducted by Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council, more than 80% of the respondents supported the meeting between the leaders from both sides of the Strait based on the principles of reciprocity and transparency. In addition, more than 70% of the respondents agreed that during the Ma-Xi meeting, they should use “leader from the Mainland” and “leader from Taiwan” in addressing each other.
A survey conducted by Apple Daily News indicated that more than 63% of those surveyed held a positive view on the Ma-Xi meeting.
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