Premier Lin Chuan has said he does not oppose any form of cross-strait interaction as long as it takes place under the principles of “equality and dignity.”
There has been no direct contact between the top officials on cross-strait relations from Taiwan and China since the Tsai Ing-wen administration took office on May 20. Ruling Democratic Progressive Party legislator Chiang Wan-an asked how President Tsai would be able to keep her promise of maintaining the “status quo” in cross-strait ties.
Chiang also asked if the government would be open to “second-track” forms of exchanges with China, for instance between think tanks and academics on either side of the strait. In response, Premier Lin Chuan said the government was open to this.
Lin said, “Any cross-strait exchanges that take place on the basis of equality and dignity are to be welcomed… [We] do not rule out any possibility, only that it should be helpful to promoting interaction with goodwill across the Taiwan Strait.”
The premier also said that such cross-strait exchanges already take place, in the form of academic exchanges and meetings between officials at the local government level.