Since Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te designated China as a "hostile foreign force" in March, China has launched a series of exercises around Taiwan. Amidst rising cross-strait tensions, Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) Chairman Wu Fengshan emphasized on the 21st that while cross-strait dialogue channels have been disrupted, communication channels remain open.
Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council Chairman Chiu Chui-cheng and Straits Exchange Foundation Chairman Wu Feng-shan attended the Legislative Yuan's Interior Affairs Committee on Wednesday to report on business overviews.
In his report, Wu Fengshan noted that while channels for cross-strait dialogue have been disrupted, channels for communication remain open. These communication channels include Taiwanese businesspeople, experts and scholars from both sides of the strait, and retired senior government officials who were previously involved in cross-strait affairs. Wu Fengshan expressed his gratitude, saying, "Peaceful exchange and dialogue are absolutely the highest common good for both sides of the strait. I remain cautiously optimistic that cross-strait dialogue will one day resume."
Wu Fengshan: Peaceful development across the Taiwan Strait is a common intersection for leaders on both sides of the Taiwan Strait
During questioning, opposition Kuomintang legislator Chang Chih-lun pressed the reasons for his cautious optimism. Wu Fengshan responded, stating that for the Republic of China, peace is absolutely the nation's most core interest. Is this also true for the People's Republic of China? He emphasized that war has no winners. The other side of the strait is currently grappling with domestic issues. Which is better, a friendly or hostile Taiwan? Over the past period, peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait have become a common concern for the world. Wu Fengshan believes that if Beijing's leaders truly consider their national interests, they should still prefer peace.
"I've noticed in particular that there's rarely any interaction between the current leader of the other side of the strait, President Xi Jinping, and our President Lai Ching-te. Both have publicly expressed their hope for peaceful development across the strait. This is a historic opportunity," Wu Fengshan said.
Another KMT legislator, Hsu Hsin-ying, continued to ask, who instructed Wu Fengshan to pass on the message that "the channels for passing messages are unobstructed"?
Wu Fengshan said, "No one instructed me to pass on the message. I didn't actively ask anyone to pass on the message. The messengers all came to us on their own initiative. I think this is helpful for cross-strait peace."
Hsu Hsin-ying again asked, "Has the central government in Taiwan requested a message?" Wu Feng-shan emphatically replied, "No, it has not." As for how he knew the communication channels were open, he replied, "Many people, out of goodwill and a desire to help, have reached out to me and offered to help pass messages. No one has authorized me to pass messages to them, but I believe that when the communication channels are interrupted, having someone pass messages on has only benefits and no harm."
Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council denies government authorization to pass private messages
During the questioning, Hsu Hsin-ying pointed out that the two sides cannot negotiate secretly. There must be no passing of messages, and there must be no opaque, illegal, backroom negotiation channels. She then asked Chiu Chui-cheng, Chairman of the Mainland Affairs Council, which oversees cross-strait affairs, whether the government authorized the passing of messages.
Chiu Chui-cheng first stated, "Existing communication and contact mechanisms are maintained." When asked if private messages could be passed on, he responded, "Many scholars have gone to mainland China and have many suggestions, including Taiwanese businessmen..."
Regarding the existence of so-called "private communications," Chiu Chui-cheng countered, "Is this a legal definition, or just a daily part of cross-strait interactions?" He emphasized, "Currently, there's no official authorization, but they're eager to share this information with you to avoid misunderstandings and misjudgments. We must affirm cross-strait relations..."
Hsu Hsin-ying asked if this refers to mainland officials. Chiu Chui-cheng replied, "There are many people who naturally express opinions and convey mainland ideas, but we didn't authorize them to go. We didn't authorize them."
Xu Xinying asked: "Do you agree that there can be no backroom negotiations between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait?"
Qiu Chuizheng said, "Of course."
Xu Xinying said, "All communications must be transparent. Otherwise, how could we know that someone might say one thing in private and end up saying something else? This is what they call 'selling out Taiwan,'" she said.
Hsu Hsin-ying asked, "Has President Lai Ching-te's statement about 'big companies acquiring small companies' been passed around privately?"
Chiu Chui-cheng said: There is no need for the committee members to over-exaggerate or lecture. Interactions between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait should be based on equal dignity and mutual respect.
Chiu Chui-cheng repeatedly emphasized that there is currently no official authorization for cross-strait communication, but whether it will be possible in the future? He said, "It depends on how the situation develops. As long as it is beneficial to the country and to both sides of the strait, it depends on how the situation develops."
Chiu Chui-cheng continued, "It must be done according to the law. It is impossible to have secret negotiations. There is no room for that." He also agreed that no matter what the situation, the system must be transparent and subject to supervision by the Legislative Yuan.
On the May 20th anniversary of Lai Ching-te's inauguration, China's maritime gray zone harassment has become increasingly frequent.
Besides the question of whether there are communication channels between the two sides, there were also reports of Chinese nationals arriving in Taiwan in rubber boats on the eve of Lai Ching-te's inauguration on May 20th. Even on May 20th itself, the Taiwan Coast Guard's Kinmen, Matsu, and Penghu branch arrested two Chinese men attempting to illegally cross into Kinmen. Prosecutors requested their detention, and the request was approved. Taiwan's Coast Guard does not rule out the possibility that China is using the illegal immigration incidents as part of a cognitive operation.
Taiwan's National Security Bureau Director Tsai Ming-yen stated during a hearing before the Legislative Yuan's Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee on Wednesday that the bureau had formed a special task force on the eve of May 20th to conduct focused observations and assessments of Chinese intrusions into Taiwan. This includes military activities, maritime gray-zone harassment and related cybersecurity breaches, cognitive operations, and controversial information manipulation. Taiwan has a comprehensive response mechanism.
He emphasized that a significant number of cases had been discovered over the past week. First, on May 15th and 16th, four Chinese Coast Guard vessels entered Kinmen's restricted waters. Furthermore, there were reports of illegal immigration cases, and nearly 30 Chinese fishing vessels operating west of the strait's median line were found operating in the vicinity. "Thus, maritime gray zone harassment appears to be the focus of this operation."
As for the motivation, Tsai Ming-yen analyzed that it may have been a deliberate operation, selecting a beach that is easier to land on. Another reason was to test Taiwan's coastal defense response capabilities and post-landing mechanisms using a small boat that is difficult to detect by radar.
