DPP's Establishment of Dept of China Affairs Media Q&A

Keelung evening.

Media Q and A with DPP Chair Su Tseng-chang on the Department of China Affairs
July 25, 2012

Q: You mention that creating the Department of China Affairs is a first step, but creating the department with the name of "China" instead of "cross Strait", is that a sort of discount to its credibility?

A: The DPP highly values China by creating the Department of China Affairs, and this is showing, as well as a first step, towards goodwill intentions. Using "China" is a neutral term, China calls itself China, and the whole world knows it as China. The DPP already made a resolution to call it by this name.

Q: Has the name of "China Committee"(the future higher ranking one) been finalized?

A: The name is not the most important issue here. We can call it China Affairs Committee or by another name, and this is a decision that I will fully respect. This is something that we can all discuss. The main objective of a Committee is to be able to invite important members of our party as well as civic organizations and members of the academia to give their opinions, gathering different perspectives on the term for China.

The Committee will serve as a platform for everyone's perspectives and to strengthen communications in order to integrate the different views and form a large consensus for the party. Then we must go through the party mechanisms to make a lasting resolution.

The most important issues here is to be consistent for Taiwan's benefit, meeting the people's interests and expectations - all in line with the fundamental values of the DPP. We wish for this Committee to remain wide open instead of boxed in from the beginning. In addition to the current resolutions already in place for the DPP, and facing with the different circumstances in China, there is certainly room for discussion.

The role of the chair is to integrate the Committee into a platform and to formulate at the end, the best policy solution. In my view, the DPP has its own stand, viewpoints and values, but towards China's transformation, the DPP's attitude, method and strategic solutions do not have limitations. The DPP has chosen to express goodwill, showing an active and confident position towards engagement with China. In regards to how China will respond, the DPP will not make any forecasts, but we hope for a mutual relationship, not just unilateral. The DPP makes this type of goodwill hoping that both sides can achieve better developments.

Q: Will he DPP go to the other side(China) to establish a fortified point?

At this stage, the DPP does not have any plans to do that, and I am afraid that the current conditions are not so simple. After all, this is a matter for both sides to discuss. The DPP is a responsible political party, and the DPP must conduct its affairs step by step once it senses there is a mature atmosphere for these kinds of planning.

Q: If any DPP public official wishes to visit China, do they need the approval of the DPP Headquarters? For China, the DPP must abandon its independent stance in order to carry out exchanges. Do you wish, after showing goodwill, that China makes any concessions?

A: There are already regulations in place for DPP public officials making visits to China. In regards to the DPP persistence in its basic standpoints, China has in the past made such demands, but China has also changed its position. The DPP has its own stands and viewpoints, which are namely to build stability for national interests and for sovereignty. However, what is different now is that the DPP in the past did not carry out any exchanges with China, but now we have gradually made more interactions, and this is a good start.
(Chinese translation below, click READ MORE)
__________________
Daily Links:

• Five Flashpoints in the South China Sea
• Yup, China forced removal of the ROC flag from the Olympic site. As J Michael points out, the rule on national flags refers to Olympic venues, not Regent Street. Sad.
• We landlubbers are delighted to learn that James Holmes, the naval strategy specialist with an interest in Taiwan, is writing regularly now at The Diplomat.
• Condolences to James Soong, whose wife died today.

民主進步黨第十五屆第一次中執會新聞稿
2012-07-25
民主進步黨第十五屆中評委、中執委及中常委今（25）日宣誓就職並召開第一次中執會，通過中央黨部設置「中國事務部」的組織規程修正案。黨主席蘇貞昌會後表示，設置中國事務部是著眼於民進黨必須有一個專責單位來處理中國事務，這也是民進黨回應人民檢驗與期待的第一步。蘇主席強調未來會做更多努力，期盼外界給民進黨更多指教與支持。

蘇貞昌表示，如何建構一個站穩台灣國家利益、同時又能有助台海和平、區域穩定、讓兩岸關係有更好發展的中國政策，一直是他過去幾年來非常關注的課題，也是民進黨從在野到執政，執政到在野，到現在想再次爭取重新執政的過程裡，人民一直在檢驗民進黨的重要課題之一，因此他在競選黨主席時提出設置中國事務部以及成立相關委員會的政見。

蘇貞昌認為，世界在變、中國也在變，台灣和民進黨不能以不變應萬變。民進黨必須要與時俱進地在堅守既有價值與立場的同時，調整對中國的戰略，尤其必須關照到三個層面：

一、國內層面：監督已經失去民心的馬政府在面對中國政治談判和「以商逼政」的壓力之下，如何維持台灣的主權。民進黨必須提出更符合台灣人民利益與期待的政策主張，強化以對話增進彼此瞭解、以和平確保民主發展、以民主決定台灣未來的台灣共識，即台灣的主流價值、主流民意。

二、國際層面：崛起的中國給全世界帶來複雜的機會與挑戰。站在民主價值同盟這一邊的陣營期待中國成為一個負責任的利害關係者，能夠推動政治民主化、軍事透明化、經濟自由化、減少對其他國家的武力威脅，但中國一直無法做到，令大家憂心忡忡。過去幾年來，美國對中政策也是由軟到硬，例如主導南海議題及發起泛太平洋夥伴同盟(TPP)等外交經貿戰略變化，甚至在香格里拉會議後，美國國防部長也公開宣布在2020年前部署60%以上的艦艇移防亞洲，這種趨勢情勢的變化，使泛太平洋周邊國家都在美、中兩強之間尋求平衡外交。在這種情況下，台灣更不能自外於此，更應該尋求自己的地位、角色及政策，「這不能只從國內來看，也不是只從選舉來看，更不是只從兩岸來看，而必須從區域穩定的角度來看！」

三、兩岸層面：民進黨如果完全不跟中國互動，中國所瞭解的台灣是透過國民黨的偏聽、偏見，台灣也不能瞭解中國。中國不是只有共產中國，也不只是經濟的中國，中國有共產、經濟以外的中國。不只是現在看到的中國，未來的中國變化那麼快、那麼大，而台灣就在中國的旁邊，就好像是在一隻大象旁邊，如果這隻大象突然發狂激動起來，台灣都要非常小心，因為只要被踩一腳，台灣都承受不了。

蘇主席強調，提案設置中國事務部，主要著眼於民進黨必須要有一個專責單位來處理中國事務，才不致陷入片斷、零碎、一時或單一的議題，往後中國事務部將持續不斷、全面地、長期地認識中國、瞭解中國，也要讓中國更瞭解民進黨。「成立中國事務部是民進黨回應人民檢驗與期待的第一步，未來還有更多的努力，期盼外界多多給予指教與支持！」

對於媒體詢問民進黨設立「中國事務部」是對中國釋出善意第一步，但用「中國」而非用「兩岸」作部門名稱，是否讓善意打折？蘇貞昌表示，民進黨重視中國，設立「中國事務部」的決策就是向中國釋出善意、改善彼此關係所做努力的第一步。用「中國」作為部門名稱，是因為「中國」是一個中性的名稱，中國自己也這樣稱呼自己，全世界也都這樣稱呼中國，而民進黨也已經做了決定，「中國事務部就是叫做中國事務部」。

至於未來成立的「中國委員會」名稱是否已經定案？蘇主席說，名稱不是最重要的，「叫中國事務委員會也好，叫其他的委員會也好，我都尊重，最後大家一起來討論」。他說，「委員會」最主要的目的，是希望能夠邀請黨內重要的先進、社會上的學者專家、意見領袖，大家一起來對中國表達各種不同的看法與意見，「委員會」就是一個平台，讓大家毫無顧忌從方方面面提出意見，彼此溝通、彼此檢驗、彼此說服，透過這個平台整合不同意見，最後形成最大的黨內共識後，循黨內機制做成決議。

蘇貞昌強調，最重要的是如何做才符合台灣最大的利益，符合人民的利益與期待，符合民進黨最基本的價值跟立場，「這個委員會比較活、比較寬，不要一開始就用框架把它框起來！」除了民進黨已有的決議外，面對現在中國的各種情況，大家都可以來討論。

他也說，黨主席將扮演整合者的角色，「委員會」則是一個平台，最後大家整合出最好的意見。他認為，民進黨有民進黨的立場、看法與價值觀，但面對中國千變萬化，民進黨的態度、方法與戰略高度並不設限。他還說，民進黨釋出善意，自信積極地和中國互動，至於中國要如何回應，民進黨沒有預設立場，「彼此的關係是互相的，不是只有單方的」，「民進黨有這樣的善意，也期待雙方能有更好的發展。」

媒體詢問民進黨是否會到對岸設立據點？蘇貞昌表示，現階段民進黨並無此規劃，恐怕條件也不是如此簡單，畢竟「這是雙方的事情，不能只有民進黨一廂情願」。他說，民進黨是負責任的政黨，很多事情必須等氛圍成熟了，一步一步來。

媒體詢問黨公職赴中國是否需向黨中央報備？對於中國稱民進黨必須放棄台灣獨立主張才能交流一事，是否希望在民進黨釋出善意後中國有所退讓？蘇貞昌回應說，黨中央對黨公職到中國交流早有規章，一切按照黨的規範。至於民進黨的基本立場和堅持，「中國過去一向是如此要求，但中國也多次改變口號」，民進黨有自己的主張、看法和堅持，即站穩國家利益和主權是最基本的立場，但「跟過去不同的是，民進黨過去與中國都沒有互動，現在漸漸有互動，這是好的開始。」

另針對媒體詢問今日中執會是否有討論中常委李清福、中執委洪智坤兩人相互檢舉的案子？黨發言人林俊憲表示，黨秘書長林錫耀在黨務報告時向出席中執委報告說，此案已進入黨內程序，中央黨部組織部進行了解後會向中常會報告，再由中常會決定下一步如何處理。
_______________________
[Taiwan] Don't miss the comments below! And check out my blog and its sidebars for events, links to previous posts and picture posts, and scores of links to other Taiwan blogs and forums! Delenda est, baby.