Beijing Must Not Cavalierly Say No to a Ma-Xi Meeting

Beijing Must Not Cavalierly Say No to a Ma-Xi Meeting
United Daily News editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China)
A Translation
December 27, 2013

Summary: One may look and see ten thousand mountains standing in one's way. Or one look and see only a sheet of paper. Ma Ying-jeou must overcome daunting domestic obstacles. Yet he openly expressed his willingness to take part in a Ma-Xi meeting at APEC. He must in fact cross ten thousand mountains. By contrast, Beijing has vastly more resources and enjoys vastly more favorable conditions. For Beijing, the only barrier it must penetrate is a sheet of paper. If Ma Ying-jeou says yes, but Beijing says no, would that be just?

Full text below:

During an interview with Asiaweek President Ma said that he was of course willing to attend next year's APEC meeting in Beijing. He said, "If I can go, I am willing."

This is the first time President Ma has expressed his willingness to attend in such a straightforward manner. In the past, he usually beat around the bush, saying, "We must first create the proper conditions." President Ma added, "But on this point, Beijing has already announced its interest [in meeting with me] at APEC." Interestingly enough, when Asiaweek published the exclusive interview, it apparently omitted Beijing's denial, on purpose. The presidential office however retained the full text in its own announcement.

Asiaweek is a private sector Hong Kong-based media organization. It omitted Beijing's denial. Perhaps it was too aggressive in its attempt to promote such a meeting. Ma Ying-jeou explicitly expressed the desire to attend. The Beijing authorities should consider its decision carefully. They must not lightly reject the possibility.

The coming May and June may determine whether a Ma-Xi meeting at APEC is possible. Beijing's initial response was favorable. Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman Yang Yi said, "The problems that visits by leaders from the two sides pose... [can be resolved by] creating the proper conditions, including appropriate consultation regarding their official status." Later however, Beijing's tone hardened. Spokesman Fan Liqing said, One. A meeting of the leaders from the two sides does not require an international conference as its venue. Two. The Taiwan side's participation in an informal APEC leadership meeting should be handled in accordance with the provisions of the MOU. (i.e., it should be confined to officials responsible for fiscal and economic policy). This may have been what President Ma was referring to when he said Beijing denied making any such offer.

The APEC meeting to be held at Beijing's Huairou Yanqi Lake enables a Ma-Xi meeting. It would make possible a huge advance in cross-Strait relations. APEC is not really an "international conference." It is not a conference between "sovereign states." It is a conference between "economic entities." The two sides already have a "one China framework." President Ma could attend as the "economic leader" of "Chinese Taipei." This would fall entirely within the "one China framework." This conference between "economic entities" is being held in Beijing. Ma Ying-jeou needs to legitimize his presence in Beijing to the public on Taiwan. He can use Beijing's own language, "leaders from both sides of the Strait' to legitimize meeting with Xi in Beijing. Is this not an historic opportunity to improve cross-Strait relations?

Suppose we pass up this golden opportunity? How long will it be before APEC once meets again in Beijing? By then it will no longer be an opportunity for Ma and Xi. Taiwan's political situation may change at any moment. We must use the Ma Xi meeting to reduce obstacles to cross-Strait relations. The political situation on Taiwan is volatile. Cross-Strait relations could swiftly degenerate. Who knows when they could be straightened out?

Ma Ying-jeou has stated publicly that "for his part, he is certainly willing to attend." The APEC meeting inevitably raises the possibility of a Ma-Xi meeting. The ball is now in Beijing's court. As the saying goes, "Reject heaven's blessing, suffer heaven's wrath." We have been presented with a golden opportunity. If Beijing casually allows it to slip between its fingers, will it not be rejecting heaven's blessing and inviting heaven's wrath?

Cross-Strait relations have long alternated between "theory first" and "practice first." The annual APEC meeting in Beijing is a conference of economic entities. Theoretically it falls within the "one China framework." A Ma-Xi meeting at APEC in Beijing would be theory put into practice. It would be a case of theory and practice complementing each other. On the one hand, theory would be given a practical basis. On the other hand, practice would promote advances in theory. What reason do the Beijing authorities have to dither over a Ma-Xi meeting at APEC?

A Beijing think-tank says a Ma-Xi meeting depends on cross-Strait political trust. This was an insightful comment. More precisely, a Ma-Xi meeting at APEC would be a new achievement that would boost cross-Strait political trust. Recent developments such as the cross-Strait diplomatic truce, WHA, ICAO, and Wang Yu-chi and Zhang Zhijun referring to each other by their official titles both reflect and promote cross-Strait trust. A Ma-Xi meeting would advance cross-Strait mutual trust past a point of no return. The two sides can no longer afford the consequences of a rupture in mutual trust. Only a willingness to fling open the doors can raise cross-Strait relations to new heights.

One may look and see ten thousand mountains standing in one's way. Or one look and see only a sheet of paper. Ma Ying-jeou must overcome daunting domestic obstacles. Yet he openly expressed his willingness to take part in a Ma-Xi meeting at APEC. He must in fact cross ten thousand mountains. By contrast, Beijing has vastly more resources and enjoys vastly more favorable conditions. For Beijing, the only barrier it must penetrate is a sheet of paper. If Ma Ying-jeou says yes, but Beijing says no, would that be just?

"Reject heaven's blessings, suffer heaven's wrath." Beijing must not cavalierly say not to a Ma-Xi meeting.

北京不可輕率對馬習會說不
【聯合報╱社論】
2013.12.27 03:25 am

馬總統接受《亞洲周刊》專訪表示，他在主觀上當然有意願參加明年北京ＡＰＥＣ會議。他說：「如果能去，我願意。」

這是馬總統首次直白表示願意參加此會，過去他的說法，則大多是在「必須努力創造一些條件」上繞圈子。不過，馬總統在此次專訪中也說，「但這一點，中共已宣布不透過ＡＰＥＣ（與我見面）」。有意思的是，亞洲周刊在刊出專訪紀錄時，似乎刻意刪略了「北京否定」這一段，但總統府在公布的完整內容中保留了此語。

亞洲周刊作為以香港為基地的自由媒體，刪略了「北京否定」這一段，或許有為兩岸各留餘地的思考。因為，在馬英九已正面表達與會意願後，北京當局理當審慎斟酌，不可輕率說不。

今年五、六月間，有關能否促成來年ＡＰＥＣ馬習會成為兩岸熱議。北京起初的回應相當開放，國台辦發言人楊毅說：「兩岸領導人互訪的問題……雙方可以為此創造條件，包括協商互訪的適當身分問題。」不過，後來北京的口氣漸漸轉涼變硬，發言人范麗青的新台詞是：一、兩岸領導人會面，不需要借助國際會議場合；二、台灣方面人士參加ＡＰＥＣ領導人非正式會議，應根據ＡＰＥＣ有關諒解備忘錄的規定處理（即只能由經濟官員與會）。這或許即是馬總統所說「北京否定」的出處。

北京懷柔雁棲湖ＡＰＥＣ年會創造了「馬習會」的可能性，這可謂是巨幅躍升兩岸關係的一個不二機遇。因為，ＡＰＥＣ其實不是「國際會議」，亦即不是「主權國家」之間的會議，而是「經濟體」之間的「體際會議」；即使以兩岸之間現存「一中架構」的認知而言，馬總統若以中華台北「經濟體領袖」的身分出席，亦是在「一中架構」內。如今，這場「經濟體際會議」在北京召開，使得馬英九在台灣內部取得了前往北京與會的正當性，且正可藉此實現「兩岸領導人」在北京的會晤，這豈不是躍升兩岸關係的歷史機遇？

試問：倘若錯過這樣的良機佳遇，什麼時候再有「ＡＰＥＣ在北京」？若有，那也不會再是習近平與馬英九的機遇；何況，台灣政局的變異已在眉睫，若不及時藉馬習會墊高兩岸關係的門檻，一旦台灣政局出現反覆，兩岸關係勢必又陷入亂麻堆裡，不知何年何月才能理出頭緒。

馬英九已公開表明「主觀上當然有意願參加」ＡＰＥＣ年會與必然引伸的馬習會，如今輪到北京方面表態。語云：「天授不取，反受其殃。」面對如此天造地設的良機佳遇，倘若北京方面輕易讓它在指縫流失，豈非暴殄天機？

兩岸關係一直都在「理論先行」或「實踐先行」的交替運動中前進。如前所述，ＡＰＥＣ北京年會，在實質上可以視作「各經濟體際的會議」，是則在理論上仍在「一中架構」之內；未來若能在北京ＡＰＥＣ促成馬習會，其實也亦可視為此一理論的實踐。因而，ＡＰＥＣ馬習會，即可視為「理論」與「實踐」的相輔相成；一方面在理論上可以找到實踐的依據，另一方面亦以實踐推進理論的發展。北京當局若能據此看待ＡＰＥＣ馬習會，有什麼裹足不前的理由？

北京方面的智囊說：馬習會的議題如何演化，將取決於兩岸政治互信發展的水準。此語有其見地，不過，若更確切地說，尤當共同以促成ＡＰＥＣ馬習會，作為推進兩岸政治互信發展的新動力與新成就。其實，近年來，兩岸在外交休兵、ＷＨＡ、ＩＣＡＯ，及王郁琦與張志軍互稱官銜上的進展，一方面是源自兩岸已經累積的互信，另一方面又推進了兩岸的互信水準；因而，ＡＰＥＣ馬習會若能實現，必可將兩岸互信推至不可逆反的水準，因為雙方皆愈來愈承受不起「互信」破裂的後果。這種大開大闔的胸襟與氣魄，才有推動兩岸關係更上層樓的可能性。

從難處看是萬重山，從易處看是一層紙。馬英九在內部治理陷入極端困難之時，仍能公開表示願意面對ＡＰＥＣ馬習會，他其實是處於必須推開「萬重山」的局面。相對而言，北京方面的資源與條件闊綽得多，這種一念之間的舉措不啻只是撕開「一層紙」而已。然則，馬英九若說是，北京卻說否，豈是相當？

「天授不取，反受其殃。」北京不可輕率對馬習會說不。