Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Scholars discuss ECFA, arms sales in cross-Strait relations forum

Hong Kong, April 28 (CNA) Scholars from Taiwan and China recognized the positive direction in which bilateral relations are heading but disagreed on U.S. arm sales to Taiwan, at a forum on cross-Taiwan Strait relations in Hong Kong Wednesday.

Highlighting improving relations are negotiations over a proposed economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) that Taiwan's president, Ma Ying-jeou, hopes to sign in June, according to the speakers.

The agreement would not only represent the normalization of bilateral trade relations but also a needed step before both sides enter a phase of political negotiations, said Chu Shulong, deputy director of the Institute of International Strategic and Development Studies at China's Tsinghua University.

Chu and his Taiwanese counterpart Alexander Huang, a professor in Tamkang University's Graduate Institute of International Affairs and Strategic Studies, addressed more than 100 media members at the forum, moderated by American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Chairman Raymond Burghardt, on the final day of the 2010 International Media Conference, organized by the U.S. Congress-funded East-West Center.

The AIT is the U.S. representative office in Taiwan in the absence of formal diplomatic ties. Burghardt doubles as director of East-West Seminars in the East-West Center.

Huang described the ECFA as signifying Taiwan's intention to "reconnect with the Asia Pacific region and the ASEAN community, " Huang said.

He also brushed off the concern of the opposition Democratic Progressive Party that it would make Taiwan's economy too dependent on China, saying that "no matter what happened, Taiwan's investment kept flowing to China over the past 20 years." While Chu said Beijing is ready to talk to Taiwan on political issues, including confidence-building measures (CBMs) , after the signing of the ECFA, Huang said the Ma administration is hesitant to do so because of domestic politics.

The subject of U.S. arm sales to Taiwan also popped up at the forum, with Chu saying that Beijing recognized that Taiwan had the right to possess and seek to procure weapons from other contries, but that countries like the U.S. or Japan have no right to sell weapons to Taiwan because Taiwan is a part of China.

Taipei has defended its purchases of weapons because of Beijing's threat to use force against Taiwan, backed by a heavy military build-up that includes more than 1,000 missiles targeted across the Taiwan Strait.

Ma has said that any negotiations on a cross-strait peace pact could not begin until Beijing had removed or dismantled the missiles.

According to Chu, China needs to maintain its military deployment, including the missiles, to prevent against a worst-case scenario.

He said Beijing continues to monitor Taiwan's independence movement, a sentiment it believes still enjoys strong support in Taiwan, and remains prepared for the possibility that the DPP will return to power.

Also, better cross-strait ties have not led to a fall in U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, Chu noted. The Obama administration still approved the sale of a US$6.5 billion package of weapons to Taiwan in January, a fact that Chu said was difficult for China to accept.

Huang responded that the U.S. is the only country that provides Taiwan the weapons it needs, and Taiwan does not challenge China's military deterrence or posture across the Strait with its weapons procurement and would not attack China.

Burghardt pointed out the paradox of the triangular U.S.-Taiwan-China relationship, which he said the U.S. side "basically wrestles with every day." Any Taiwan government, he said, wants clear U.S. public support before dealing with China, which was why issues like arm sales, extradition, avoidance of double taxation, and visits by Cabinet members have been important to Taiwan.

That helps Taiwan's president show Taiwan's people that he is not ignoring the U.S. as he tries to improve cross-Strait ties, he said.

China, however, constantly objects to U.S. moves that show its support for Taiwan even though the U.S. has warned that cross-Strait relations would possibly grind to a halt if China failed to realize the mindset.

Huang said most Taiwanese people do not oppose better economic relations with China, as almost one-tenth of Taiwan's population live in China to do business. And they want an elected government that is able to manage or nurture better cross-strait relations.

What Taiwanese people need in cross-strait exchanges, Huang said, is a strategic reassurance that there will be no war, and they want to preserve their democratic system so their future generations can enjoy basic freedoms and choose their lifestyles, while also being able to elect their president once every four years. (By Chris Wang) enditem/ls