Commenting on Taiwan "President" Chen Shui-bian's announcement of an "important speech" scheduled on October 10, which will be "positive" and "constructive", Taiwan-based newspaper Central Daily pointed out Friday in an article that Chen's inconsistent words have created repeated suspicions and worn away the painstakingly built up thin trust and understanding across the Straits. As a result, the cross-Straits relations "made one step forward but three backward just like in tango", or the relations have been stagnated or even plunged into mire.

Chen's attitude, the article said, turned out indeed tantalizing to media and the people are also watching and waiting in the hope that Chen's coming speech could "really break the deadlock at the present stage".

If viewed from a practical perspective, however, Chen's words and deeds in the past four years would invariably raise people's doubt. From the "five no's" in Chen's 2000 inauguration speech, to "bold talks" he dished out later, has any of them ever served to improve relations after winning positive comments and kind interpretations by media?

Although the content of the speech still remains unknown, what worth attention is that--will the speech signal a policy adjustment toward the mainland by the local authority, or merely "election words" tailored for the "legislators election"? Is it based on long-term strategic thoughts, or just a short-lived performance for the occasion? So, not only that the mainland will "hear his words and judge him by his deeds", the Taiwan people are also expecting Chen can be "as good as his word". The coming speech, if only designed to divert public attention, will not only let people down but result in the missing of a good opportunity for improving relations with the mainland.

To build a peaceful and stable cross-Straits relationship, the article pointed out, we must hold a rational and practical attitude and further eliminate misunderstanding and different opinions through continuous communication between the two sides. Only in this way can we lay a foundation for long-term positive interactions. The cross-Straits relations certainly have its complexity side, but compared with pinning hope on a certain person's speech, we'd rather, as said in an ad, "just do it!"

By People's Daily Online