The Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council Wednesday issued
a document on China's policy on direct links in mail, transport and
trade across the Taiwan Straits.
The document is entitled "Actively and Realistically Promote
'Three Direct Links' Across the Taiwan Straits by Reliance on the
People and in the Interests of the People."
The foreword of the document says owing to the military
confrontation across the Taiwan Straits for over 30 years after
1949, people-to-people contacts and direct links in mail, transport
and trade between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits had been
totally suspended, resulting in total division between the
compatriots across the Straits.
Despite some progress made in the past years, the cross-Straits
"three links" remains in an indirect, one-way and partial state due
to restrictions and obstructions imposed by the Taiwan
authorities.
The first part of the document is focused on the status quo and
problems to be solved in this field. Under strong demand from
compatriots, and due to negotiations and efforts by business
circles on both sides of the Straits, the "three links" have
started from scratch and progressed to varying degrees, but the
current indirect, one-way and partial state has impeded the
exchanges and contacts between compatriots and the development of
trade and economic cooperation across the Straits, says the first
part, pointing out such failure is mainly attributed to obstruction
by the Taiwan Authorities.
The second part says realization of the "Three Direct Links"
accords with the immediate interests of compatriots across the
Straits, and is the fundamental way to attaining mutual benefit and
a win-win situation.
In 2002 the cross-Straits volume of passenger transport
approached four million, the trade volume exceeded 40 billion US
dollars, and the volume of cargo transport reached anything up to
tens of millions of tons, the second part says.
The direct, two-way and complete "three links" is an objective
demand for people-to-people contacts and economic and trade
exchanges across the Straits, and will help boost inter-Straits
economic development as well as help compatriots on both sides
jointly to adapt to the trends of economic globalization and
regionalization, strengthen cooperation, seize opportunities and
meet challenges, the second part says.
The third part, focusing on the mainland's basic stand and
policies, says relying on the people and working for the well being
of the people are the mainland's stand and purpose in the
resolution of the "Three Direct Links" issue.
The "three links" issue is a cross-Straits affair and an
internal affair of Chinese people on both sides of the Straits, the
third part says, making a call to shelve political disputes and
prevent political differences from affecting and interfering with
the "Three Direct Links".
The third part stresses the principles of reciprocity, mutual
benefit and consultation on the basis of equality, as well as the
role of nongovernmental trade organizations on both sides in
conducting consultation.
The Taiwan authorities should remove discriminatory restrictions
and unreasonable obstacles directed against the mainland as soon as
possible, it says.
The fourth part makes explanations on some questions related to
the "Three Direct Links," including consultation between
cross-Straits nongovernmental trade organizations, the flag and
certificate in cross-Straits direct air and shipping services,
participation of foreign companies in cross-Straits air and
shipping services and the relationship between the "three direct
links" and the so-called Taiwan security.
The document finally concludes that "we are fully confident that
the direct, two-way and complete 'three links' will be realized,"
calling on the Taiwan authorities to take practical steps as soon
as possible to remove the obstacles in the way of the direct,
two-way and complete "three links" between the two sides of the
Taiwan Straits.
(Xinhua News Agency December 17, 2003)