CROSS-STRAIT RELATIONS

Since the government relocated to Taiwan in 1949, it has exercised jurisdiction over Taiwan proper, Penghu Islands, Kinmen Islands, Matsu Islands and a number of smaller islands, while China has been under the control of the authorities in Beijing. Beginning with the acceleration of Taiwan’s democratization in the late 1980s, many restrictions concerning civil exchanges with China have been lifted. Today, Taiwan is one of the biggest investors in China. Between 1991 and the end of February 2019, approved investment in China comprised 43,401 cases totaling US$183.4 billion. In 2018, the value of cross-strait trade was US$150.5 billion. In that year, travelers from China made 2.66 million visits to Taiwan.

In June 2008, institutionalized talks between Taiwan’s semiofficial Straits Exchange Foundation and China’s Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits resumed after a 10-year hiatus. By August 2015, 11 rounds of negotiations had been held alternately on either side of the Taiwan Strait, producing 23 formal agreements and two consensuses.

Most significant among the accords is the Cross-Straits Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) concluded in June 2010, which aims to institutionalize trade and economic relations between Taiwan and China.

In order to promote thorough domestic reforms, the country requires a peaceful, stable external environment, especially with regard to relations with China. President Tsai Ing-wen, since taking office May 20, 2016, has worked to build a consistent, predictable and sustainable cross-strait relationship based on existing realities and political foundations.

The government’s unchanged position is to maintain the crossstrait status quo. This is Taiwan’s commitment to the region and the world. Peace, prosperity and development in Asia are common responsibilities of all countries in the region. Therefore, cross-strait issues are connected to regional peace. Taiwan will fulfill its responsibilities of safeguarding regional security by continuing to extend goodwill and maintaining stable, consistent and predictable cross-strait relations.

In recent years, China has set political preconditions for crossstrait exchanges, unilaterally suspended official interactions, and continuously exerted political suppression and military coercion on Taiwan. On Jan. 2, 2019, China proposed exploration of the “one country, two systems” model for Taiwan, disrupting the status quo of regional peace and stability. President Tsai put forth March 11 guidelines to counter the “one country, two systems” model for Taiwan, strengthen national security measures, safeguard national sovereignty and ensure that current and future generations have the right to decide Taiwan’s future.

The government will continue to address cross-strait ties based on the ROC Constitution, the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area, and the will of the people.

In addition, the government calls upon the authorities in China to face up to the reality that the ROC exists and that the people of Taiwan have an unshakable faith in the democratic system. The government will continue to deepen cooperation with the U.S., Japan and other like-minded countries to counter China’s threats to Taiwan, promote regional peace, stability and prosperity, and protect the nation’s interests.