中国国台办主任张志军首次访台

China's top cross-strait negotiator began a landmark visit in Taiwan Wednesday, aimed at forging ties with the Taiwanese people amid their growing skepticism toward Beijing.

中国国务院台湾事务办公室主任张志军周三开始了访问台湾的破冰之旅。台湾民众对北京的怀疑态度日益加重，他这次访台的目的就是巩固与台湾民众的关系。

Zhang Zhijun, the head of China's Taiwan Affairs Office, is the first Chinese government official visiting Taiwan in an official capacity since the two sides governed separately 65 years ago. Mr. Zhang and his counterpart, Wang Yu-chi, chairman of Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council, met in their official capacities for the first time in Nanjing, China,in February. Some analysts said these meetings indicate Beijing is eager to start a political dialogue with Taipei.

这是中国大陆和台湾65年前分而治之以来中国政府官员首次以官方身份访问台湾。张志军与台湾大陆委员会主任王郁琦今年2月在南京举行了首次官方会面。一些分析人士说，这些会谈表明北京急切希望与台北展开政治对话。

Apart from a closed-door meeting with Mainland Affairs Council, Mr. Zhang also has plans to meet with Kaoshiung City Mayor Chen Chu, a heavyweight in the opposition Democratic Progressive Party. Mr. Zhang won't be meeting with high-ranking officials from Taiwan's government. Instead he will be spending most of his four days in Taiwan visiting local businesses, farms, an aboriginal village and a university.

除与台湾大陆委员会召开闭门会议外，张志军还计划与高雄市市长、台湾反对党民进党的重量级人物陈菊会面。张志军不会与台湾地区政府高级别官员举行会谈。这次访台行程为期四天，他将主要拜访一些当地企业、农场、一个原住民部落和一所大学。

Mr. Zhang told reporters that cross-strait development is like 'rowing a boat against the currents.'

张志军对记者表示，两岸关系发展就像是“逆水行舟”。

'The development of cross-strait ties is bound to be challenging but if there is will, there is a way,' Mr. Zhang said.

他说，两岸关系发展必定具有挑战性，但有志者事竟成。

Ma Xiaoguang, a spokesman from China's Taiwan Affairs Office, added that there were some 'new situations' in Taiwan that might have snagged cross-strait development. The main purpose of Mr. Zhang's visit, he said, is to 'listen to the voices of the people at the grass-root level,' underscoring China's longstanding unification tactic of 'winning the hearts and minds of the Taiwanese people.'

国台办发言人马晓光还表示，台湾内部出现可能阻碍两岸系关发展的“一些新情况”。他说，张志军此行主要目的是倾听基层民众声音，这凸显出中国长期以来“赢得台湾民心和民意”的两岸统一策略。

Mr. Wang told reporters: 'During our meeting, I expressed that the future of Taiwan must be decided by the 23 million people here. This is the consensus of Taiwan and we hope China can respect it. '

王郁琦告诉记者，他在南京举行的会谈中曾表示，台湾的未来应该由台湾2,300万人民决定，这也是台湾人民的共识，希望大陆方面予以尊重。

Suspicion toward Beijing's intention to reclaim Taiwan has been growing on the island of 23 million people. In March, student-led protesters stymied the passage of a services-trade agreement with China and occupied the legislature for more than two weeks. The protesters said the trade pact only favors big conglomerates but leaves small businesses in the dust and were concerned of Taiwanese economy's increasing reliance on China.

台湾人越来越怀疑大陆有意将台湾收回。今年3月，以学生为首的示威者阻挠海峡两岸服贸协议获得通过，他们还占领了台湾立法院超过两周时间。抗议者称服贸协议只对大型企业有利，但将严重冲击小企业，他们还担心台湾经济愈发依赖中国。

Fewer than 100 protesters, mostly students, were kept away from greeting Mr. Zhang. They were encircled by multiple rows of policemen with shields and sticks and were kept away from the hotel where Mr. Zhang stays by barbed wire fences.

数十名抗议者（主要是学生）被警察阻拦、无法接近张志军。张志军下榻的饭店外，手持盾牌和警棍的警察组成数层人 将示威者围成一圈，并用铁丝网限制了示威者的活动范围。

Lin Fei-fan, a leader of the 'Sunflower Movement' that led the siege of the legislature for weeks, said: 'The government should not meet with any Chinese officials until a government watchdog on cross-strait affairs is established.'

“太阳花运动”学生领袖林飞帆表示，在一个海峡两岸事务监督机构成立之前，台湾政府不应当与中国大陆官员会晤。

Mr. Lin said he wanted to have a face-to-face dialogue with Mr. Zhang, who hasn't responded to this request.

林飞帆称他希望与张志军面对面交流，但后者没有回应这一请求。

'Look at what's happening in Hong Kong. Under Chinese rule, many of the basic human rights that Hong Kong residents once enjoyed are stripped away. This is why we must safeguard Taiwan's democracy and rule of law,' Mr. Lin added.

林飞帆还说，看看香港的情况吧，在大陆统治下，香港市民曾经享有的很多基本人权现在被剥夺了，这正是我们必须要保卫台湾民主和法治的原因。

Taiwan split from the mainland in 1949 amid a civil war that has not formally ended. While both sides have agreed to promote peace across the Taiwan Strait, China still sees Taiwan as part of its territory, which must be taken back, by force if necessary.

1949年，台湾在一场一直没有正式结束的内战中脱离大陆统治。虽然双方一致同意要推动海峡两岸的和平，但中国仍视台湾为自己领土的一部分，不仅必须收回，且如有必要还将诉诸武力。

Political observers say Mr. Zhang's trip signifies a victory for Beijing against the Taiwanese independence supporters.

政治观察人士表示，张志军此次访问是北京对台独支持者的胜利。

'Even the DPP has not objected to his visit,' said Chang Kuo-cheng, a military strategist and a professor at Taipei Medical University, saying the timing of the visit shows China's unwavering resolve to absorb Taiwan at all cost.

台北医学大学军事策略师、教授Chang Kuo-cheng说，连民进党都不反对张志军访台。在他看来，这次访问的时间显示出中国要不惜一切代价坚决将台湾收入囊中。

'Of course Beijing is aware of the rising anti-China sentiment in Taiwan. But the message it wants to convey is, even as popular as the Sunflower Movement was, no matter how hard you object, nothing will ever spook Beijing or derail its timetable,' he added.

他还说，北京当然清楚台湾日益高涨的反大陆情绪，但北京想要传达出的意思是，无论台湾反对得多么坚决，哪怕像太阳花学运那样受大众欢迎，北京都不会被吓到，也不会打乱自己的时间表。