Zhang Mingqing, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the
State Council, answered reporters' questions concerning
cross-Straits relations at the regular press conference held on
October 31.
Taiwan Airlines Can Apply for Flying through Sanya Flying
Responsibility Zone
In
answering reporters' question concerning whether Taiwan air
transport enterprises can fly through the Chinese mainland's
navigation zone, Zhang said under the coordination of the
international civil aviation organization, traffic service will be
provided by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) as of
November 1, 2001 in the Sanya Flying Responsibility Zone on the
South China Sea. Taiwan region's airlines with the intention to fly
through the said zone may file an application to the CAAC. So far,
several Taiwan airlines have reportedly filed applications to the
CAAC for flying through the Sanya zone, the department concerned
has granted approval to the applications as a special case. The
CAAC will provide fine-quality, high-efficiency air traffic
services for all civil aircraft including those from the Taiwan
region's airlines that fly over China's flying information zone and
flying responsibility zone.
Qualified Taiwan Students Studying in Chinese Mainland May Be
Employed Locally After Graduation
In
answering a reporter's question concerning the study and employment
of Taiwan students on the Chinese mainland, Zhang said: We have
always shown great concern for and paid attention to Taiwan
students coming to the mainland for studies in universities or
colleges, and we have provided them with conveniences for entry,
enrollment and daily lives. So far, nearly 4,000 Taiwan students
have been enrolled into more than 140 institutions of higher
learning in the Chinese mainland. During the period of their
studies here, Taiwan students with valid certificates can enjoy
same treatment as can mainland students in the aspects of traffic
and accommodation. Besides, under relevant regulations, for those
Taiwan students, after graduation from institutions of higher
education on the mainland, the related department will allow them
to get jobs in the mainland so long as they possess pertinent
conditions for employment in the mainland and comply with the needs
of the employer. The Chinese Health Ministry and four other
departments have jointly issued a document recently, which allows
Taiwan residents, on the premise of meeting relevant requirements,
to take national doctors' qualification examination.
Zhang said, to relieve Taiwan businessmen investing in the mainland
of their worries behind and solve the problem concerning education
of their children, competent educational department had the first
school for children of Taiwan businessmen established last year in
Dongguan City, Guangdong Province. This year, another such school
has also been set up in Jiangsu's Kunshan with approval granted by
the said competent department. With a view to providing
conveniences for Taiwan compatriots to travel along the two sides
of the Straits and handle relevant affairs, the department
concerned has opened four ports - Xiamen, Haikou, Fuzhou and Sanya
- for qualified Taiwan compatriots to perform formalities for
documents on settlement.
Mainland Willing to Boost Accomplishment of Things Facilitating
Cross-Straits Development
A
reporter queried: Taiwan has recently further expanded the scope of
"three mini-links"-direct trade, transport and postal links,
regarding this, is the mainland willing to provide help and
coordination? Zhang said: We have noticed Taiwan media's recent
reports, the department concerned of Taiwan is prepared to allow
Taiwan islanders to come to the mainland via Jinmen, Mazu and
Penghu islands. It is our opinion that so long as things conforming
to the fundamental interests of compatriots across the Straits and
to the principle of one China, direct, two-way links and mutual
benefit, helping promote the development of cross-Straits economic
and trade relations and facilitating realization of direct "three
links" between the two sides of the Straits, we are willing to give
them a big boost and are glad to see their accomplishment. Although
contacts between Fujian's coasts and Jinmen and Mazu areas in
Taiwan are not direct "three links" in their real sense, and there
is a far cry from Taiwan public's demand, considering Taiwan
public's actual needs, however, we are still willing to provide
them with concrete help.
Taiwan Leader's Rejection of One-China Principle Will Create New
Tension and Conflicts in Cross-Straits Relations
A
reporter said recently the leader of the Taiwan authorities
declared that he "cannot accept the one-China principle and the
"1992 consensus". What's your comment on this? In fact and de jure
of the one-China principle are irrefutable, it cannot be obscured
and evaded. The basic content of the "92 consensus" is that "both
sides of the Taiwan Straits adhere to the one-China principle"
expressed respectively by words of the mouth by the two sides of
the Straits, this is an indisputable fact. The 10-odd consultations
and dialogs between the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan
Straits (ARATS) and the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) over the
1992-99 period were conducted on the basis of this consensus.
Restoring cross-Straits dialogs and negotiation on the basis of the
"92 consensus" by upholding the one-China principle conforms to the
desire of Taiwan compatriots for stabilizing and developing
cross-Straits relations. The fact that the leader of the Taiwan
authorities denies the "92 Consensus" and refuses to accept the
one-China principle not only cannot break the deadlock in
cross-Straits relations, but also will create new tension and
conflicts in cross-Straits relations and thus harm the interests of
the broad masses of the compatriots in Taiwan.
Mainland's Preferential Policy Toward Taiwan Businessmen Will
Remain Unchanged After the Two sides Join the WTO
While answering questions concerning the two sides' entry into WTO,
Zhang noted that following the two sides' entry into the WTO, an
opportunity will be provided for cross-Straits economic and trade
development, particularly for direct "three links" between the two
sides of the Straits. He said, however, the question concerning
cross-Straits "three links" and that about cross-Straits economic
and trade development should both be discussed within the framework
of one China, i.e., discussed among the Chinese themselves, there
is no need for discussion to be conducted on international
occasion. With regard to the lawful rights and interests of Taiwan
businesses on the mainland, relevant State Council regulations
about this have long been available, including protection of the
legitimate rights and interests of Taiwan businessmen involved in
the large-scale development of the western region. Regarding this,
our policy is consistent. The earlier published preferential policy
of "equal priority and appropriate relaxation" toward Taiwan
businesspeople still remains unchanged. Premier Zhu Rongji once
said that on the question of benefit concession, we can give more
concession, because we are all Chinese.
Common Fight against International Terrorism Conforms to the
Fundamental Interests of Compatriots of the Two Sides
When asked about how the two sides will join hands to combat
terrorism, Zhang said in reply, resolute attack against
international terrorism is the consistent proposition of the
Chinese government, this stand is clear-cut, particularly after the
occurrence of the incident of the "September 11" terrorist attack
on the United States, Chinese State leaders and foreign ministry
spokespersons have time and again expressed this stand on many
occasions. Common fight by the two sides of the Straits against
terrorism conforms to the interests of compatriots across the
Straits, at the same time, it is also the bounden duty of both
sides. Earlier, both sides had agreement on launching common fight
against crimes, which is identical with the current crackdown on
international terrorism.
Responsibility for the Unequal Treatment of Resident Correspondents
on Both Sides Lies Entirely on Related Taiwan Departments
In
answering the question whether Taiwan correspondents can be
stationed permanently in the mainland, Zhang said in terms of the
present situation, we have not heard of this and we do not have
such a plan. He said cross-Straits information exchange should be
actuated jointly by cross-Straits news circle and relevant
departments. The mainland has, since the New Year Day of 1996,
allowed Taiwan correspondents to come to the mainland for news
covering and has thus far permitted nine media to engage in news
covering in Beijing, Shanghai and Fujian of the mainland on a
long-term, rotating basis, while it was only until February this
year that the Taiwan authorities formally allowed correspondents of
four mainland media to go to Taiwan for news covering, furthermore,
only two correspondents are allowed to be sent by each of the four
media each time for a month's news covering. Facts show that the
two sides are unequal in terms of the duration of stay and the
number of media, we have raised this issue to the related Taiwan
department, but so far there is no change in this situation. In our
opinion, information exchanges should be virtuous and interacting,
we hope the Taiwan authorities will abolish this set of
unreasonable stipulations as soon as possible, so as to bring about
an early realization of virtuous and interacting results in
cross-Straits news exchanges.
( November 2, 2001)