将于下周在台北举行的第六次“江陈会”，议程相当宽松，这一不详信号很难预示着，作了60年政治对手的两岸会就此平息争议。这意味着，出于争执和敏感性，双方将推迟解决一系列棘手的议题。
12月20日在台北会面时，谈判代表不太可能签署两岸商界人士都将其视为资产和收益保护手段的投资保障协议。双方无法就解决争端的机构达成一致，阻碍了协议的达成。台湾方面希望是一家国际机构；而大陆方面则认为，任何与台湾相关的事务都属于内政。
有关成立一个经济合作委员会的细节也不在议程之上。谈判代表们是在今年早些时候宣布的这项受到投资者欢迎的计划。
但台北东吴大学(Soochow University)的政治科学家徐永明(Hsu Yung-Ming)表示：“这项举措是官方的吗？一些企业家表示怀疑……消息都宣布过了，但总部在哪里？办事处又在哪里？”
两岸今年6月签署了一份具有里程碑意义的自由贸易式协议，降低了800多种商品的进口关税。此后，台湾方面表示，还有数千种商品也在减税计划中。但台湾官员们说过，由于此轮减税将涉及更为敏感的商品，因此其具体实施至少要推迟至2011年。
敏感是个流行用语。
自上世纪40年代以来，由于北京方面宣称对坚持自治的台湾拥有主权，两岸一直处于分裂状态。2008年，在与大陆交好的马英九(Ma Ying-jeou)上台之后，双方开始对话。双方此后签署的14项协议，已覆盖了大部分容易解决的问题。下周，谈判代表们只会签署一份不甚重要、毫无争议的医药合作协议。
大陆一直希望，之前签署的在经济上有利于台湾的协议，会诱使台湾官员开始讨论对北京方面更重要的事宜：何时统一。但由于台湾公众舆论存在分歧，台湾并不急于讨论这个议题。因此，树立军事信心和签署和平协议之类的议题，将无期限拖延下去。
台湾长荣大学(Chang Jung Christian University)政治学教授李宪荣(Shane Lee)表示：“双方，尤其是马英九政府，都想找到一些在政治上显得比较有利的议题，但现在他们实在是想不出来。”
译者/何黎
http://www.ftchinese.com/story/001036074
An ominously light agenda for formal talks next week between Taiwan and mainland China hardly signals an end to controversies between the political rivals of 60 years. It means the two sides are delaying a raft of tough issues due to disputes and sensitivities.
When negotiators meet in Taipei on 20 December, they are not likely to sign an investment guarantee that business people on both sides see as a way to secure property and earnings. That deal is snagged because the two sides cannot agree on what body would settle disputes. Taiwan wants an international organization to do it; China feels that any Taiwan affairs are domestic.
Details on the formation of an economic cooperation committee are also off the agenda. Negotiators announced this plan, which was popular with investors, earlier this year.
But Hsu Yung-ming, a political scientist at Soochow University in Taipei, says: “Is this move official? There are entrepreneurs who are dubious … It has been announced, but where is the headquarters? Where are the offices?”
After the two sides signed a landmark free trade-style pact in June to cut import tariffs on more than 800 items, Taiwan said thousands more items were in the pipeline. Those will hold until at least some time in 2011, Taiwan officials have said, as this next round of cuts would cover items more sensitive.
Sensitive is the buzzword.
The two sides have been divided since the 1940s over Beijing’s claims of sovereignty over the staunchly self-ruled island. They started talking in 2008, after Ma Ying-jeou, Taiwan’s China-friendly president, took office. They have covered most of the easy stuff in 14 deals signed since then. Next week negotiators are only set to ink a minor, non-controversial pact on medical cooperation.
China is seen hoping that the earlier agreements, which favour Taiwan in real economic terms, will entice island officials into discussions more important to Beijing: when to reunify. Taiwan is in no hurry to discuss that item due to a split in public opinion at home. So issues such as building military confidence and a peace accord will wait indefinitely.
“Both sides, especially Ma’s government, are trying to think of topics that make them look good politically, but right now they can’t think of any,” said Shane Lee, a political science professor at Chang Jung Christian University in Taiwan.
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