Hu makes no secret of agenda

Following the meeting between KMT chairman Wu Po-hsiung and CCP chairman Hu Jintao, Chinese media has made a large deal of two particular formulations: first is Hu's new 'six ideas' and second is a five point consensus reached during the meeting, a consensus Liberty Times said the KMT really had no idea existed until reports on it surfaced.

What is the five point consensus?

第一，双方都表示要继续推动落实“两岸和平发展共同愿景”，不断促进两岸关系和平发展； 第二，都认为要维护反对“台独”、坚持“九二共识”的共同政治基础，不断增强和深化互信；第三，都强调要加强两岸经济合作，尽快商谈两岸经济合作协议，以 利建立两岸经济合作机制；第四，都赞同要积极促进两岸文化教育交流，举办以文教交流为主题的两岸经贸文化论坛，开始探讨协商两岸文化教育交流协议；第五， 都主张两岸在涉外事务中避免不必要的内耗，增进中华民族整体利益。

First, both sides expressed their intent to continue to implement their common wish for peaceful cross-strait development and would constantly work to improve peaceful cross-strait relations. Second, both sides will guard against "Taiwanese independence" while strongly upholding the common political foundation of the '92 concensus, in order to constantly improve and deepen mutual trust. Third, both sides emphasized their intent to strengthen cross-strait economic cooperation, to quickly sign a cross strait economic cooperation agreement, and to establish mechanisms for cross-strait economic cooperation. Fourth, both sides agreed to actively promote cross-strait cultural and educational exchanges, to hold economic and cultural forums that focus on those exchanges, and to discuss how to come to an agreement on cross-striat cultural and economic exchanges. Fifth, both sides support avoiding 'bad news' when it comes to foreign matters in order to promote the interests of the Zhonghua Minzu [A-gu: probably a reference to Ma's détente with China in seeking allies].

Well, not a lot of new information there. What about the six ideas?

　第一，关于增进两岸政治互信。去年５月以来，两岸双方在反对“台独”、坚持“九二共识 ”的基础上建立了互信，从而推动解决了两岸关系中一系列复杂问题。考虑到今后两岸关系的发展前景，包括需要逐步破解一些政治难题，巩固和增进双方的政治互 信尤为重要。坚持大陆和台湾同属一个中国是关键所在。

The first deals with strengthening cross-strait political trust. .. [opposing TI, supporting the 92 consensus, etc]... Strongly supporting the idea that Taiwan and China both belong to one China is vital.

　　第二，关于两岸经济合作。今后一个时期仍然要把全面加强两岸经济合作作为重点， 当前最突出的任务是共同应对国际金融危机冲击。考虑到两岸同胞是一家人，我们采取了一些实际措施同你们共克时艰。今后，如果形势需要，我们还会继续这样 做。签定两岸经济合作协议，关键是协议内容要有利于两岸经济共同发展、两岸同胞福祉增进，有利于建立具有两岸特色的经济合作机制。双方应该共同推进商签协 议准备工作，争取今年下半年谈起来。

The second deals with economic cooperation... [Cooperation good, dealing with current financial crisis]... Keeping in mind that comrades on both sides of the strait belong to the same family, we are choosing a practical method to get through these hard times together. Afterwards, if circumstances require, we will continue to help... [Economic agreement good for both sides, get ECFA done by end of year].

　　第三，关于加强两岸文化教育交流。新形势下，开展两岸文化教育交流，既有巨大需求和潜力，也显得更为重要。我们要比以往更加努力地开展两岸文化教育交流，共同传承和弘扬中华文化，增强中华文化认同、中华民族认同。

The third deals with economic and cultural exchanges. [Important, helps heal wounds....] Both sides should promote Chinese culture together, strengthen identity with Chinese culture and with the Zhonghua Minzu.

　 　第四，关于涉外事务。几天前，中华台北卫生署应邀派出人员作为观察员参加了今年的世界卫生大会。这表明，两岸中国人有能力、有智慧妥善解决台湾参与国际 组织活动问题，也表明我们促进两岸关系和平发展的诚意。我们希望，这有利于增进台湾同胞对大陆的了解，有利于两岸关系和平发展。

The fourth deals with foreign affairs... [WHA observer status breakthrough great, demonstrates Chinese good will]... We hope that this helps the Taiwanese compatriots better understand the mainland and contributes to peaceful cross-strait development.

　　第 五，关于结束两岸敌对状态、达成和平协议。促进正式结束两岸敌对状态、达成和平协议，是“两岸和平发展共同愿景”提出的目标，已经成为两岸双方的重要主 张。我们提出，两岸可以就国家尚未统一的特殊情况下的政治关系问题、建立两岸军事安全互信机制问题进行务实探讨，表明了我们解决问题的积极思考。两岸协商 总体上还是要先易后难、先经后政、把握节奏、循序渐进，但双方要为解决这些问题进行准备、创造条件。双方可以先由初级形式开始接触，积累经验，以逐步破解 难题。

The fifth deals with the cross-strait tension and seeking a peace agreement. Putting a formal end to hostilities and reaching a peace agreement is the common aspiration for peaceful cross-strait development and has already become an important principle of both sides. We would point out that both sides can discuss how political relations should be handled in this special circumstance preceding national unification, can debate how to establish a confidence building on military affairs, and express our thoughts on how to solve these problems. We still need to deal with cross-strait agreements by dealing with the easy ones first. First economics, then politics...

　　第六，关于国共两党交流对话。国共两党交流对话特别是高层交往对保持两岸关系发展势头具有不可替代的重要作用。国共论坛是一个 成功的论坛，应该继续办下去，而且要越办越好。同时，两岸关系发展需要两岸广大同胞特别是基层民众参与。两岸各界举办的海峡论坛，突出了两岸民众的参与和 互动。

The sixth deals with KMT-CCP dialogue and exchanges... [It's been important so far, we should continue, and improve communication. Need to bring in common people to participate. Need more exchanges between people on both sides.]

There you have it! Now time to get back to work. Remember, try to ignore all these things coming out of the CCP's mouth if you want to pretend they're not going to push for unification.

I make special note of the wording "this special circumstance preceding national unification," because you can bet your bottom dollar that the CCP will want that sentence in the peace agreement, even if exactly when and how the unification is to be achieved is not specified.

I speculate Ma will re-activate the National Unification Council sometime before that. Before the signing of the peace agreement, expect a further emphasis that the Council's guidelines will still be used to determine when unification is possible (namely, once China has democratized and gotten as rich as Taiwan). And finally, I imagine the CCP will ask for revisions to those guidelines a few years later.