In April 1993, the Wang-Koo talks were held in Singapore, and I witnessed this history on the spot as a member of the front reporting team of Xinhua News Agency
Together with my colleagues, I wrote a lengthy investigative report on "Chinese, How to Say "No" to the Hijackers," which used irrefutable facts to tear off the false mask of the hijackers' "defection to democracy."
After the "Qiandao Lake Incident" occurred, I twice went to Hangzhou, Chun'an, and other places for on-the-spot interviews to expose the "drunken intentions" of the Taiwan authorities in taking advantage of the opportunity to incite hatred and seek separatism, and to call for the earnest preservation and development of the hard-won overall situation of cross-strait relations
Text | Li Dahong, Editor-in-Chief of Hong Kong Dagong Wenhui Media Group
Time is like water, fleeting. In the blink of an eye, "Lookout" has gone through a full forty years.
Forty years of turbulence, glory and dreams soaring high, creating the most brilliant chapter in the history of the development of the Chinese nation. If it is said that the record of such a vigorous era is the innate mission and responsibility of "Lookout", then it is my luck and glory to personally participate in and do my best.
The road of life is long, but there are only a few steps at the critical point. Fortunately, two years after graduating from university and joining Xinhua News Agency, I came to work at the long-awaited Lookout Weekly Agency. Here, I met many mentors and friends, got their selfless help, and realized that being a journalist needs high-quality, good style, real kung fu, and needs to enhance foot, eye, brain, and pen power, go deep into reality, gain insight into life, think about problems, and write about the times.
Looking back on the 15 years of work experience in "Lookout", there are too many moving stories to be nostalgic, too many interview insights to write, and too many experiences to remember. Looking back now, those struggles with green imprints are still vividly remembered, as beautiful as ever.
Personally experienced the drafting of the Hong Kong and Macao Basic Law
In the forest of Chinese media in the 1980s and 1990s, The Outlook and its overseas editions of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan reports and commentaries were unique, with articles widely forwarded by the Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan media every week, and overseas public opinion regarded them as a "window" for observing the decision-making trends in Zhongnanhai. At that time, several colleagues engaged in reporting on Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan were not only familiar with their counterparts in the mainland and Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, but also often "guests" at the central authorities and various high-level seminars.
I still remember that in 1987, shortly after I arrived at the "Lookout" to work, I had the honor of participating in the interview and report on the drafting of the Hong Kong Basic Law and the Macao Basic Law, and witnessed the unremitting efforts of the members of the Basic Law Drafting Committee from the Mainland, Hong Kong and Macao to implement the great concept of "one country, two systems" in the form of the basic laws of the country.
It is also recalled that on February 19, 1990, Taiwanese writer Chen Yingzhen led a visiting delegation of Taiwan's "United Reunification" to the Great Hall of the People in Beijing that triggered a long-term heated discussion between the two sides of the strait.
I still remember that in April 1993, when the world-renowned Wang-Koo talks were held in Singapore, I, as one of the four members of the Xinhua News Agency's reporting group sent to the front, witnessed the historic picture of the first political dialogue between the deputies of the two sides of the strait since 1949, and felt the extraordinary courage and broad-mindedness of people of insight on both sides of the strait in devoting themselves to promoting cooperation and exchanges.
Say "no" to the hijacker
There are also a few reporting experiences that I still remember vividly.
In 1993, a wave of hijackings appeared over the Strait that stunned the entire world. In that year Chinese mainland civil aviation had 21 hijacking incidents, 10 successful hijackings, and the hijacking destination was Taiwan. Frequent hijackings have caused huge economic losses to airlines and pose a serious threat to the lives and safety of civil aviation crew and passengers. China's civil aviation has come under tremendous pressure from public opinion.
Against this background, I worked with my colleagues to write a lengthy investigative report entitled "Chinese, How to Say "No" to the Hijackers", using irrefutable facts to tear off the false mask of the hijackers' "defection to democracy" and expose their shallow ignorance, greed and viciousness, and even the true face of the crime. At the same time, it also used its penetrating analysis to expose and criticize the Taiwan authorities for their inconsistencies and stubbornness and selfishness, and for not repatriating the hijackers, but instead blindly appeasing and conniving at them as political chips, obstructing cross-strait exchanges and undermining cross-strait mutual trust.
This report broke the taboo that the hijacking issue could not be reported for a long time, and after its publication, it aroused strong repercussions at home and abroad, and was broadcast by the Xinhua News Agency at home and abroad on the instructions of the central leadership, thus playing a direct role in promoting the thorough settlement of the problem of hijackers on the mainland by the two sides of the strait.
Witness the "Qiandao Lake Case"
The "Qiandao Lake Incident" at the end of March 1994 shocked Siye, and 24 Taiwanese tourists and 8 mainlanders were robbed and killed in Qiandao Lake, Zhejiang Province.
In the months from the outbreak of the massacre to the end of the first instance, I was assigned by the editorial department to track the development of the situation, and made two special trips to Hangzhou, Chun'an and other places for on-site interviews, and finally cooperated with colleagues to write an in-depth analysis article entitled "Looking at Cross-Strait Relations from the Storm of the "Qiandao Lake Case"" to the situation.
At that time, the Taiwan authorities took advantage of the topic to spread rumors, mislead public opinion, attack and vilify the mainland government, stop Taiwan industry from organizing delegations to travel to the mainland, and even implemented so-called "sanctions" measures such as "comprehensively suspending cross-strait cultural and educational exchanges" and "freezing cross-strait economic and trade exchange projects" in an effort to cool down all kinds of "mainland fever" on the island.
However, during the interview, we found that the Taiwan authorities' "drunken intention" of taking advantage of the opportunity to incite hatred and seek separatism has long since become the "heart of Sima Zhao." Public opinion at home and abroad has slammed and condemned this and called for earnestly safeguarding and developing the overall situation of cross-strait relations, which has not been easily attained.
"Cross-strait cooperation can no longer wait"
I also deeply understood this when I interviewed Mr. Zhao Yaodong, who was once in charge of the economic department of the Taiwan authorities, in 1992.
During his tenure, Mr. Cho Yao-tung actively promoted economic reform and was regarded as one of the important promoters of Taiwan's economic take-off era. In May 1992, as an advisor to Taiwan's "Chung Hua Economic Research Institute," he led a delegation to visit the mainland to offer suggestions and suggestions for cross-strait economic exchanges and development, which caused a shock on the island.
Talking about the feelings of the visit, he said to me with great feeling: "For more than twenty days, I have been working non-stop, only because of my concern and anxiety about China's future. This on-the-spot inspection made me feel even more strongly that only by working hand in hand and learning from each other's strong points can the two sides of the strait grasp the good opportunity and go to a higher level. We can't wait any longer on this issue that concerns China's future!"
This remark made me more firmly believe that peaceful development and win-win cooperation are the only correct choices for the two sides of the strait, and that working together to build a community of common destiny on both sides of the strait conforms to the common interests of the Chinese nation, and no force can interfere, obstruct, or sever the deep emotional ties and common interest ties of compatriots on both sides of the strait. Those who choose to stand on the right side of history will eventually win the appreciation and affirmation of the people.
After returning from the interview, the article "Cross-Strait Cooperation Cannot Wait Any Longer" that I painstakingly wrote was rated as a good article at the xinhua news agency level that year.
The green mountains can't cover it, after all, it flows east
History is yesterday's news, and news is tomorrow's history. Perhaps it is destined in the dark, or it may be a coincidence, in my decades of journalism career, reporting on Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan has always been the focus of my work. After comparing the current phenomena with the reports of that year, combing and thinking, we can find that behind any seemingly complex appearance, there is the inevitable logic and universal law of historical evolution.
First, those who endanger national unity or harm national security interests will eventually play with fire and set themselves on fire. The promulgation and implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law has had a strong deterrent effect on anti-China and chaotic Hong Kong elements, and in recent times, outlaws who have been in a state of panic have absconded to Taiwan and overseas.
Whether it is "Hong Kong independence" or "Taiwan independence," if these people who rely on foreigners to respect themselves, drive "history back," and attempt to split the country, or those who act as "pawns and vanguards" for the separatist forces, do not have a clear understanding of the situation as soon as possible and turn back to the shore, but continue to engage in unjust acts, follow the path of disobedience, and vainly attempt to block the rolling wheel of history's advance with a mantis arm, then they can only end up with the "chariot of the end" running wildly and ended up in crushed bones and discredited. "The general trend of the world, the vast soup, the prosperity of the obedient, the death of the contrarian." Their end is only to add another corroboration to this iron law of history.
Second, the green mountains can't cover it, after all, it flows east. Whether it is Taiwan and the mainland, or Hong Kong and the mainland, everyone is a brother with a common destiny, and a family whose blood is thicker than water. The affection of compatriots is inseparable and continuous by any force, and it is the common desire of all Chinese to communicate, cooperate and integrate, and it is also an unstoppable trend of the times.
Standing at the historical intersection of the "two hundred years" goal, the 14th Five-Year Plan and the 2035 Long-term Goal Outline have drawn a magnificent new picture for China. Under the principle of comprehensively implementing the principle of "patriots governing Hong Kong," Hong Kong is actively integrating itself into the overall situation of national development, plunging itself into the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and writing a new chapter in the successful practice of "one country, two systems" in the new era; many people in Taiwan also believe that the "14th Five-Year Plan" will bring major opportunities and benefits to the vast number of Taiwan enterprises and Taiwan compatriots, and hopes to strengthen cross-strait exchanges and cooperation and enhance the well-being of compatriots on both sides of the strait.
"History cannot be chosen, but it can be grasped now and the future can be created." Standing at the tide of the new era, we fully believe that the confidence of all the sons and daughters of China will be firmer, the strength will be more condensed, and they will continue to walk all the way in the journey of realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, shouldering the great mission, building the great dream, and sharing the great glory.
Adhering to the passion and responsibility of "lookout people"
The highest ideal of life is to seek the truth. I am thankful that I have dedicated the best of my youth to Lookout. In the "jointing and gestation period" of life, at the age when thinking is most active and energetic, the "first button" of learning skills, doing a good job, and fastening the career. More importantly, this experience taught me that "there is truth in the text and a thousand junks in the pen"; journalists must establish a correct view of right and wrong, the overall situation, and the concept of history, and must create news works with vitality, stir up turbulence and purity, become a weathered person, and strive to be a recorder of the times, a watchman of fairness and justice, and a promoter of social progress.
Climb high and look, know the long mountain, unswerving, and must set off again. I will always be proud of "Lookout People", always uphold the passion and responsibility of "Lookout People", do not forget the original heart, keep in mind the mission, and drum and shout for the development of the new era. It is also expected that the "Forty Not Confused" "Lookout" weekly will always feel the changes in the national fortunes, the tide of the times, the precursors of the times, spread positive energy, write a new chapter, and create new glory.