Contacts between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait are developing at breathtaking speed, with James Soong Chu-yu, chairman of the opposition People First Party, scheduled to begin a week-long visit to the mainland tomorrow. His trip follows hard on the heels of the highly successful visit by Lien Chan, chairman of the opposition Kuomintang, who ended his mainland visit yesterday. More significantly, Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian has entrusted Mr Soong with a message for the central government, the first such contact between the two leaderships since Mr Chen became president five years ago. He has also reversed his government's position by declaring Mr Lien's visit and talks with President Hu Jintao were not illegal acts. The initial reaction from the Taiwanese government to Mr Lien's talks in Beijing was fury and condemnation, with Joseph Wu Jau-shieh, chairman of the cabinet-level Mainland Affairs Council, declaring the KMT leader may have violated the law. The change in attitude may well be due to opinion surveys showing most people approve of the visit. A poll by Fu Jen University showed that 56 per cent approved of the Lien visit, while nearly 60 per cent believe that Taiwan and the mainland should make efforts to end their hostilities and head off a military conflict. In Taiwan Mr Lien is often seen as an insipid politician with little charisma, but he was an electrifying presence on the mainland, delivering a rousing speech at Peking University that was repeatedly interrupted by applause. After Mr Lien talked with President Hu, who is also head of the Communist Party, the two sides issued a statement. It called for resuming cross-strait negotiations, a peace accord, increased economic exchanges and consultations on Taiwan's participation in international organisations. These are all goals Mr Chen has espoused. The fact that he has asked Mr Soong to carry a message offers hope the government, too, might soon be in dialogue with the central leadership. However, one problem is Beijing's insistence discussions be based on the '1992 consensus'. That year the Kuomintang government reached an agreement with Beijing to hold talks on the basis of 'one China'. However, Taiwan insisted each side could define that concept for itself. Since assuming the presidency, Mr Chen has resisted the idea of 'one China' and insisted there had been no consensus in 1992. However, last July he announced he was willing to hold discussions with the central government based on the 'spirit of 1992'. Now that Beijing has indicated it is willing to talk to Mr Chen, the two sides should be able to agree the '1992 consensus' and the 'spirit of 1992' are really the same thing. After all, if it is acceptable for 'one China' to be given different meanings by the two sides, it should be possible for the events of 1992 to be described differently. This should not be beyond the ingenuity of leaders of the two sides, if they truly want to talk. Also significantly, the joint statement referred to the goal of 'discussion on the question of a cross-strait common market'. In his inaugural address last March, Mr Chen had raised the possibility the European Union could offer a model for the future integration of the mainland and Taiwan. To Mr Chen, the model offered by the EU is more attractive because its members are sovereign countries which came together voluntarily. The fact that China is willing to discuss forming a common market - which in Europe led ultimately to the union - suggests the EU model is one Beijing is willing to consider. Frank Ching is a Hong Kong-based writer and commentator frank.ching@gmail.com
