Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian should take a practical view on the question of direct flights between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits and stop the practice of self-deception, Taiwan University politics professor Chang Linchi pointed out recently in an interview by China Huayi Broadcasting Corporation (CHBC).

Professor Chang first noted that the agreement reached between Taiwan and the mainland on charter flights during the upcoming Spring Festival lives up to the popular will of both sides. We all hope this is a good beginning that would play the role as an icebreaker in realizing real direct flight links, she said.

The professor continued, superficially, the Taiwan authorities have made quite a big concession on this matter, which, in fact, is due to American pressure. However, the Taiwan authorities hope to make the "two-way, non-stop direct flights" model appear as an international air route by other methods. Take this time for instance. Taiwan authorities hope and strive to add color to the "international route" by going in a roundabout way through the Ryukyu Islands, but the mainland did not agree to this. So, Taiwan's concession actually is not one in basic principle, it seems that on basic principle, it's very difficulty to get Chen Shui-bian back to the "92 Consensus" and the "One-China principle". The agreement reached smoothly on Spring Festival charter flights, therefore, doesn't indicate a favorable turn for political dialogues across the Straits.

Talking about future direct flights between the two sides, Chang said that Taiwan's economy was good in the past year, but a great danger actually is still lurking in the Taiwan economy as a whole, because the island's budget deficit is very high. Taiwan scored an export surplus of US$20-30 billion from trade with the mainland, but only US$6 billion was left to the island after import surplus from trade with other regions was offset.

This is very unfavorable to the island's economy if things go on like this. If Taiwan wishes to keep foreign investment, or even attract some more, it needs to modify many policies, the most important one is related to direct flights. This is because if direct flights between the two sides are impossible and if cross-Strait relations are strained, then under the circumstance that "no one would live or stay in a dangerous or chaotic society", it is impossible for the entry of foreign capital. With only outflow and no entry of foreign capital, Taiwan will soon face a "double deficits" situation, and Taiwan's economy will become very gloomy.

On the issue of direct flights, Chang observed, it depends on how long Chen Shui-bian can hold on. If he can be more practical, he will feel that direct flights are beneficial to the island and that direct flights actually do not change anything, since there are already direct flights with Hong Kong and Macao, so what difference is there in direct flights with Shanghai and Beijing? There is no difference. Chen's remark that Hong Kong and Macao are third places is a sheer self-deceitful act, which is just like 'plugging one's ears while stealing a bell', because Hong Kong and Macao are part of China, as they used to be, after their return to the motherland. In this sense, there are already partial direct flights with the mainland. If Chen Shui-bian could come round to this idea one day, direct flight links would be around the corner.

By People's Daily Online