Taiwan "president" Chen Shui-bian is trying to steal the show before the island's "presidential election" slated for March 20, 2004.

He did this by unveiling a three-stage plan for opening direct transportation links by the end of next year, after the "presidential election."

Chen's words are nothing new. He signed a similar blank check three years ago when he wooed voters for his first "presidency."

The choice of timing for putting forward his plan was clearly calculated. The three-stage plan is no more than an election trick, and has nothing to do with improving cross-Straits relations.

Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen claimed that the reason for beginning the talks immediately after the "presidential election" next year was that "the barriers in real politics will be removed at that time."

Can time ever iron out such political barriers?

MAC published its Assessment Report on the Impact of Direct Cross-Straits Transportation on Friday.

The report excludes direct, point-to-point cross-Straits flights from the direct transportation links in the name of security.

Aircraft flying between Taiwan and the mainland will still have to detour through the airspace of a third territory, probably either Hong Kong or Japan's Ryukyu Islands, before arriving at their destination, "vice-minister of transportation and communications" Tsai Duei said.

The "three direct links" refer to direct exchanges of mail, goods, and air and shipping services across the Taiwan Straits.

Explaining the report, Tsai Ing-wen made public the "bottom line" for direct transportation links with the mainland: Taiwan is a sovereign, independent nation.

It is an indisputable fact that there is only one China, and the mainland and Taiwan belong to that one China.

Hence, the issue of the direct transportation links is an internal affair in China, instead of a matter of sovereignty.

And that is the line that we are not to cross.

The mainland has been sincere and flexible in dealing with the "three direct links."

So long as the "three direct links" are viewed as an internal affair, the specific meaning of "one China" may be left untouched in concrete talks.

Tsai Ing-wen's "bottom line" is tantamount to the negation of any possibility of negotiations on this issue.

It is the Taiwan authorities that have been holding back the three direct links.

We must keep our eyes open as a new show starts in Taiwan.

(China Daily August 19, 2003)