Straits Exchange Foundation

Straits Exchange Foundation
海峽交流基金會
Formation 21 November 1990 (first meeting)
9 March 1991 (start operation)[1]
Headquarters Zhongshan, Taipei
Location
Chairman
 Tien Hung-mao
Vice Chairman and Secretary-General
 Vacant[2]
Website www.sef.org.tw

The Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF; Chinese: 海峽交流基金會; pinyin: Hǎixiá Jiāoliú Jījīnhuì; often abbreviated as 海基會) is a semi-official organization set up by the Government of the Republic of China (ROC) in Taiwan to handle technical or business matters with the People's Republic of China (PRC). Though technically a private organization, it is funded by the government and controlled by the Mainland Affairs Council of the Executive Yuan. Its roles are in effect, the de facto embassy to PR China, to not officially acknowledge PRC's statehood status.

Its counterpart in the PRC is the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS).

History

Due to the complexity of political and legal status of cross-strait relations and lack of contact between the two sides, the ROC government had to create an intermediary body from the private sector to deal with all cross-strait matters. Thus on 9 March 1991, SEF was formally established with the help of government and private sector funds.

At the same time, the PRC government established ARATS. The creation of these two offices facilitate a new stage in cross-strait relations after it had been idle for almost 50 years after the end of Chinese civil war in 1949.[3]

Organization structure

List of chairmen

Name Pinyin Term
Koo Chen-fu 辜振甫 21 November 1990 – 3 January 2005
Johnnason Liu[5] (acting) 劉德勳 3 January 2005 – 10 June 2005
Chang Chun-hsiung 張俊雄 10 June 2005 – 21 May 2007
Hung Chi-chang 洪奇昌 12 July 2007 – 19 May 2008
Chiang Pin-kung 江丙坤 26 May 2008 – 27 September 2012
Lin Join-sane 林中森 27 September 2012 – 20 May 2016[1]
Chen Ter-shing (acting) 陳德新 20 May 2016 –
Tien Hung-mao (designated)[6] 田弘茂

SEF branch office in Mainland China

After ROC cabinet Executive Yuan approved the bill on 11 April 2013, SEF will start to have a branch office in Mainland China by the end of 2014. In April 2013, ROC President Ma Ying-jeou said that SEF offices in Mainland China will not wave ROC flags, either inside or outside the office buildings, because Taiwan and Mainland China are not foreign nations to each other.[7][8][9] Up to date, SEF plans to have three offices in Mainland China.[10]

SEF building

The current SEF building in Beian Road originated since its groundbreaking construction on 25 September 2010 when its ceremony was presided by then SEF Chairman Chiang Pin-kung. On 31 March 2012, the finished constructed building was refurbished and SEF started to move there on 4 April 2012 from their old rented office building on Minsheng East Road. The new building was opened for service on 9 April 2012. On 18 May 2012, President Ma Ying-jeou presided the building's official opening ceremony.[1]

Transportation

The SEF building is accessible by Dazhi Station of the Taipei Metro on the Brown Line.

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Straits Exchange Foundation.

References

  1. 1 2 3 http://www.sef.org.tw/ct.asp?xItem=108615&CtNode=4718&mp=300
  2. ↑ "MAC official resigns two jobs for 'family reasons'". taipeitimes.com.
  3. ↑ http://www.sef.org.tw/ct.asp?xItem=48843&CtNode=3987&mp=300
  4. ↑ "Straits Exchange Foundation".
  5. ↑ "Koo Chen-fu, 88, dies of kidney cancer". taipeitimes.com.
  6. ↑ http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2016/09/01/2003654278
  7. ↑ "Ma ignoring Chinese hostility: TSU chairman". taipeitimes.com.
  8. ↑ "No plans for visit by China's first lady: MAC".
  9. ↑ "Ma defends cross-strait offices proposal". taipeitimes.com.
  10. ↑ "Taipei, Beijing yet to reach consensus on visitation rights". taipeitimes.com.
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