Chiao-Tang Talks ─ First Chiao-Tang Talks
- 更新日期：109-11-06
According to the "Joint Agreement of the Koo-Wang Talks," the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) and Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) held three follow-up routine talks on annual negotiation issues in August, November, and December 1993. However, no consensus was reached due mainly to the mainland side's over-sensitivity and extreme rejection of legal issues.
Since the negotiation bottlenecks could not be overcome, the Taiwan side sent a letter to ARATS on December 23 expressing hope that Vice Chairman Chiao and Mr. Tang Shubei could meet in Beijing to discuss SEF-ARATS affairs according to the "System for Contacts and Meetings between the SEF and ARATS." ARATS sent a reply letter on December 28 proposing that routine talks be continued. It sent another letter on December 31 proposing that Vice Chairman Chiao fly to Beijing on January 31, 1994, for a five-day visit, which became commonly known as the "Chiao-Tang Talks."
On January 28, 1994, Secretary-General Wu Shu led an SEF delegation to Beijing to discuss procedural matters for the talks with ARATS and to decide the agenda and itinerary.
On the morning of January 31, Vice Chairman Chiao departed for Beijing with the SEF delegation and arrived at Beijing Airport at 3:30 p.m. The delegation was received at the airport by ARATS Vice Chairman and Secretary-general Zhou Zhekai. Vice Chairman Chiao held a press conference at the airport VIP area and explained the purpose and hopes of the talks to the domestic and foreign press corps. That evening, ARATS Permanent Vice Chairman Tang Shubei held a welcome banquet for the SEF delegation at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse.
On the morning of February 1, the SEF delegation visited Biyun Temple in Xiangshan to pay respects at the tomb of Dr. Sun Yat-sen. At 1:30 p.m., the two sides held the first meeting at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse to exchange views on routine talks across the Taiwan Strait and other basic issues. They also reviewed the promotion of SEF-ARATS affairs and exchanged views on measures to facilitate the entry and exit of SEF and ARATS affairs personnel. At 4:00 p.m., Vice Chairman Chiao and ARATS Chairman Wang Daohan met at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse. Vice Chairman Chiao conveyed greetings from Chairman Koo and emphasized that mutual trust must be built up between the two sides for cross-strait relations to advance.
On the morning of February 2, Vice Chairman Chiao and other SEF personnel visited Zhongguan Village in the outskirts of Beijing, accompanied by ARATS Deputy Secretary-general Liu Gangqi. In the afternoon, Vice Chairman Chiao met with Mr. Tang Shubei for the second meeting at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse. The two sides held talks on functional issues, including cross-strait repatriation of hijackers, repatriation of illegal immigrants, and the handling of cross-strait disputes. However, the talks did not achieve any major progress.
On the morning of February 3, Vice Chairman Chiao visited Xinhua News Agency and the Forbidden City. Deputy Secretary-general Shih Chi-ping and Deputy Secretary-general Shi Hwei-you led the SEF working groups in talks with ARATS representatives at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse. No progress was achieved in the routine talks. The mainland side was more active about economic issues. Since no immediate breakthrough was possible, Vice Chairman Chiao decided to cancel the afternoon talks. That afternoon, Vice Chairman Chiao visited Beijing Weichuan Foods Co., Ltd. and Deputy Secretary-general Shih visited President Enterprises Food Co. At 5:00 p.m., Mr. Wang Zhaoguo met Vice Chairman Chiao and the SEF delegation at the Shanghai Hall of the Great Hall of the People and later dined together. Vice Chairman Chiao emphasized to Mr. Wang that the two sides should take a large view in handling cross-strait affairs. However, the current routine negotiations need to be resolved first before moving forward with exchanges. The two sides agreed to continue talks the next day and to exchange views more openly, though such exchanges would not be binding.
On the morning of February 4, the third meeting was held at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse. The focus of the talks remained on routine negotiations. Since progress was achieved, the two sides decided to continue talks in the afternoon. They also agreed to issue a joint press release on the results of the meeting. That evening, Vice Chairman Chiao hosted a banquet at the Beijing Hotel for ARATS Permanent Vice Chairman Tang Shubei and other ARATS representatives. Deputy Secretary-general Shih Chi-ping and Deputy Secretary-general Shi Hwei-you left first with Fu Yafu, Li Yafei and others to draft the joint press release and finalize the text of the "Facilitation Measures for the Entry and Exit of SEF and ARATS Personnel."
On the morning of February 5, ARATS Permanent Vice Chairman Tang Shubei went to the Grand Hotel Beijing to finalize the joint press release with Vice Chairman Chiao and to say farewell. The 15-person SEF delegation then flew back to Taipei.