Taipei, Jan. 7 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian reiterated Monday that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait should have more economic exchanges and fewer political misunderstandings.
Chen made the remarks as he received members of a visiting delegation from the U.S-China Security Review Commission -- a U.S. Congressional affiliate -- who arrived in Taipei Jan. 1 on a fact-finding visit.
The commission, which included Chairman Richard D'Amato, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce Patrick Malloy, professor of political science at the University of Miami June Teufel Dreyer, Andy Sammel, the commission's executive director and senior research adviser Michael Pillsbury, expressed their concern about the cross-strait situation after Taiwan's parliamentary election last month, economic exchanges across the Taiwan Strait now that both sides have joined the World Trade Organization and Taiwan's security.
Chen told the visitors that cross-strait relations should move toward a political, economic and military equilibrium.
He said that political equilibrium means no predesignatd stance, shelving disputes, finding common ground and resuming contact and dialogue to improve cross-strait relations, just as he said in his New Year's message when he mentioned replacing "exclusive antagonism" with "constructive cooperation."
He said economic equilibrium means replacing the five-year-old "go slow, be patient" policy with "active opening and effective management" to move toward the normalization of cross-strait trade relations as well as a mutually beneficial and win-win situation for both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
He also said that military equilibrium means no military expansion, no arms race and no military intimidation. Faced with a situation that Beijing will not forego the use of force against Taiwan, Chen said "Taiwan needs to have sufficient defensive capability" to ensure the island's democracy and cross-strait peace.
The president reiterated what he described as his "three more and three fewer" theory, meaning more economic exchange, contact and trust between the two sides and fewer politics, misunderstandings and stifling from the other side.
Chen also expressed the hope that the United States will play the role of stabilizer and prompter, so as to build a platform for peaceful cross-strait contact and dialogue.
The delegation members expressed their admiration for the government's crackdown on bribery and corruption in the parliamentary election and said that it helped solidify Taiwan's democracy and serves as a model for East Asia.
They also said that Taiwan's adjustment of its trade policy toward investment in mainland China is a wise and forward-looking approach.
D'Amato expressed concern about Taiwan's integration of its military command and military administration systems and whether a civilian should serve as a defense minister.
Chen said that the election was the cleanest in Taiwan's history and noted that the military stayed neutral in the election. He added that Taiwan's defense operation reforms have been going on for years and that there is finally consensus on the unified military command and administration systems.
But he also said that it is not easy to have civilians leading the army and that it has to be done in a gradual way, especially when Taiwan is still facing a military threat from the mainland. He added that Taiwan cannot be rash in matters concerning national security.
Dreyer asked Chen how Taiwan expects the United States to help it increase military security without provoking the mainland, to which the president replied that the U.S. announcement of military sales to Taiwan last April did not change cross-strait relations, but instead ensured Taiwan's security and democracy.
He added that as Taiwan becomes more secure, it will become more democratic and more able to affect the other side of the Taiwan Strait's move toward democratization.