Topic 3035

Taiwanese Negotiator Visits China

WHATThe talks between Koo Chenfu and Wang Daohan, which represent the highest-level contact between Taiwan and the mainland in five years.
WHO: Koo Chenfu, the chairman of the SEF (Taiwan Strait Exchange Foundation); Wang Daohan, the leader of the  ARATS (Association  for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits, a Chinese governmental agency); Jiang Zemin, the Chinese President
WHERE: Mainland (Shanghai and Beijing)
WHEN: 6-day talks from 10/14/98-10/19/98

Background & Summary

Taiwan split from mainland China in 1949 when the defeated Nationalist government fled there after a bitter civil war with the Communists.
Beijing regards the island as a breakaway province which must be reunited with the mainland, although - as with Hong Kong - it  says it would be allowed to retain its capitalist  economy under the formula of 'one country,  two systems'.

During the 1993 meeting in Singapore, the chairman of the SEF (Taiwan Strait Exchange Foundation) and the leader of the ARATS (Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits, a Chinese government agency) signed an agreement establishing a mechanism for regular cross-strait dialogues, marking an end to a confrontation that began during the civil war in China in the ate 1940s.

However,  the talks were broken off due to the Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui's visit to U.S. in 1995.  This meeting between Koo Chen-fu and Wang Daohan in Mainland from 10/14/98-10/19/98 was the resumption of regular cross-strait dialogue.

During this meeting, Koo held talks with Wang, Chinese President Jiang Zemin and other top leaders of the Chinese government. Although the relationship between two sides is thawed, the fundamental dispute on Taiwan's future status remains.  China says that formal negotiations cannot begin until Taiwan agrees to discuss issues related to unification. For its part, Taiwan has said there will be no breakthrough until China  recognizes the reality of separation.

Topic Explication

This topic is limited to the Koo-Wang meeting from 10/14/98 to 10/19/98, which represents the highest-level contact between Taiwan and Mainland in five years. The 6-day talks contain two parts: Shanghai talks mainly between Koo and Wang; Beijing talks between Koo and the top leaders of the Chinese government such as President Jiang.

On-topic stories include the preparations for this meeting (dated from November, 1997), Koo's sightseeing in Mainland, the political talks between Koo and Wang as well as other top leaders of the Chinese government.
Note* The stories, which introduce Koo's family, educational background and political life, are also on topic IF related to this Koo-Wang Meeting. Meanwhile, Wang accepted Koo's invitation to visit Taiwan during this meeting. Thus, any planning and disputes on Wang's visit to Taiwan (scheduled in October, 1999) are the result of this meeting and should be on topic.

Off-Topic Koo-Wang meeting in Singapore in 1993.

Timeline:

11/07/97 & 01/19/98- The SEF (Taiwan Strait Exchange Foundation) sent letters to the ARATS (Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits) suggesting that SEF Chairman Koo Chen-fu visit the mainland to restart technical talks broken off in mid-1995.

02/24/98- Chinese government agency ARATS  gave positive response to a Taiwan-proposed resumption of regular cross-strait dialogue and exchanges of visits by officials.  However, the agenda proposed by ARATS was different from the SEF.

10/14/98- Two negotiators from Taiwan and China--Koo Chenfu and Wang Daohan--held the first of a series of high level talks in Shanghai marking the most significant thaw in relations for five years.

10/15/98- Koo had a sightseeing in Shanghai.
-Wang Daohan accepted an invitation to visit
-Taiwan after meeting his Taiwanese counterpart in Shanghai.

10/16/98- Taiwan's chief negotiator, Koo Chenfu, flied to Beijing for a meeting with the Chinese president Jiang Zemin.

10/17/98- Mr. Koo  spent the whole day sightseeing in Beijing, attending a banquet and going to the opera.

10/18/98- A senior Taiwanese envoy, Koo Chen-Fu, held talks with the Chinese President, Jiang Zemin. Mr. Koo accused the Chinese leadership of obstructing relations between the island and the mainland by refusing to recognize Taiwan as a sovereign state. There are still wide divisions between the rival governments.

01/15/99- Beijing sent a letter to the SEF To invite Taiwan's mission to visit mainland in order to prepare Wang's visit to Taipei on Taiwan affairs.

06/28/99- A delegation of Taiwanese officials, Jan Jih-hong, arrived in the Chinese capital, Beijing, for talks aimed at preparing for the planned visit to the island by China's top envoy, Wang Daohan, later this year.

07/14/99- The remarks of the Taiwanese president Lee Teng-hui that two countries should see each other as separate countries made the China-Taiwan relationship worse. The landmark visit to Taiwan by China's top negotiator, Wang Daohan, on reunification was in jeopardy. This visit was scheduled to take place in October.

Key Words

Koo Chen-fu, Wang Daohan, Mainland, Taiwan.