How to Break Through the “Taiwan Program” for Those Who Tremble Upon Hearing Reunification

 How to Break Through the “Taiwan Program” for Those Who Tremble Upon Hearing Reunification

China Times Editorial (Taipei, Taiwan)

November 1, 2019

 Translation of an Excerpt

Regardless of who wins the presidential election next year, whatever cross-Strait policies the winning side will propose, the urgency of consulting with the Mainland for resolving the fundamental political question will become greater and greater. The KMT no longer talks about a "peace agreement", while the Mainland’s "Taiwan program for one country, two systems" oversteps the scope that the vox populi could currently bear, and the DPP could only rely on "anti-China" to pick up guns for a shooting spree; under such circumstances, how could we solve this complex problem?

In so far as cross-Strait relations are concerned, the part concerning political issues seems complicated and sensitive; in reality, it can easily be induced into three levels: sovereignty, constitutional government and state system at the high level, international space arrangement and military CBMs at the mid level, and interactions and cooperation between governments and departments of public authority at the low level. In fact, during the eight years of Ma Ying-jeou’s presidency, the two sides did reach tacit agreement and systematized measures at the mid and low levels; the leaders meeting of the two sides of the Strait was first encountered at the high level.

Now, we should think anew about an "interim agreement". Perhaps we could ponder on the following two levels: First, the two sides of the Strait both recognize the efficacy and stability in their respective existing constitutional systems in promoting peaceful development, pledge to abide by and shoulder the responsibility and safeguard their respective existing constitutional systems, guarantee not split their respective national territory under their respective constitutional systems. Secondly, on the foregoing foundation, the two sides of the Strait initiate three political progressions: One is the sector of the public authority involved in economic and social affairs on both sides of the Strait, establish a mechanism for liaison and communication. Second, both sides of the Strait use the "Project Kinmen Matsu" and "Integration of Kinmen and Xiamen" as points of trial, through the effect of demonstration, verify the good points as well as the bad points of the "Taiwan Program". The third is a Taiwan Strait military activities report mechanism in order to avoid panic and anxiety caused by the "normalization" of military drills.

The cross-Strait "interim agreement" is not difficult; the following passage "abiding by the responsibility under the constitutional system, not splitting existing national territory, mutual recognition of public authority, testing points of integration at the basic level, and preventing military conflicts" is the fundamental spirit.

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