Smash hit

A lot of people are looking to you in terms of reducing cross-straits tension. How far are you from achieving a peace accord and what worries you as a possible trigger for new tension, after all Taiwan-China as a flashpoint is a worry for many countries?

I think that what we did in the last three months is to really defuse the flashpoint in many ways. Even before we were inaugurated, we extended the olive branch to the mainland, I think the mainland also did its part to pave the way for the resumption of talks.

I am sure you remember the telephone conversation between President Bush and Mr Hu Jintao on March 26, barely four days after our election. There the two talked about the principle of “one China” and Hu Jintao admitted that while both sides accepted that principle they have differences on its definition. This was actually what was achieved in 1992, which later on was frequently referred to as the “92 consensus”. And we were very impressed that Hu did that, because he has come a long way. I think that was very helpful to quell some of the controversy in Taiwan as to whether the mainland was committed to that. And once that was done, then we could move ahead with the 92 consensus.

So that was mentioned during the Bo’ao conference. On April 12 where our side expressed the notion that we should shelve the differences and keep the commonalities and take into account the reality but look to the future for progress. The point was readily accepted by the other side, so they also came up with similar expectations. So I included that in my inaugural address by calling for a reconciliation and truce, not only across the Taiwan strait but also in the international arena. And again my inaugural address was well received not only in Washington but also in Beijing.

It paved the way for the resumption of talks which were interrupted for 10 years. And the talks, as you know, led to the inauguration of the weekend charter flights and the mainland tourist visits.

So I think we are right on track and moving by and large according to our schedule.

You mentioned the peace accord. That will take some time to accomplish. But you understand that this is not the most urgent thing to do. Why? Because in order to have a peace accord you do have to build up the preparations, the atmosphere, which can only be done by normalising economic relations and making some progress on the issue of international space. I think we are doing that and we are seeing some signs of a thaw of the iceberg.

Wang Guangya, the Chinese ambassador to the UN, this week opposed Taiwan’s participation in specialist organisations. Is that a setback, a surprise?

To expect mainland China to welcome a move like that from Taiwan is naive. This is international politics. Everything he said was expected. But if you compare the intensity of the remarks to what they did barely six months ago, you will see the difference. And actually this is just the beginning. We are only submitting our proposals through our friends to the UN, but we should wait until mid-September to see how actually they evolve. So I think everyone should really hope that things are still taking place every day.

On the other hand, as you can see I made my first trip abroad in August, I visited Panama, Paraguay ad the Dominican Republic, meeting with presidents of six of our allies and the vice president of another one. And eight presidents of countries with which we don’t have diplomatic relations. And before and after the trip I stopped over in Los Angeles and San Francisco, either meeting with members of Congress or calling them by telephone. I actually encountered 31. I think that was a very successful trip. And I accomplished the objectives I set not only attending the inaugural ceremonies of two presidents but also had a very candid talk with them.

As you know we are revising our foreign policy. We will stop the unnecessary and vicious competition in winning over the attention of the other’s side’s allies. We want to have a diplomatic reconciliation, a diplomatic truce. But meanwhile we will continue the current co-operation with our allies.

Invariably, leaders expressed a positive response to what I said. And I demonstrated a different style compared to my predecessor regarding what we do during transit in the United States. And I understand that Washington was quite pleased. We are not abusing our transit rights. But I have accomplished a lot merely by staying in my hotel room

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