Mainland won't get involved in Taiwan's election: spokesman

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, February 11, 2004

Mainland won't get involved in Taiwan's election: spokesman

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The Chinese mainland has not and will not involve itself in the election of the Taiwan region, and is not concerned about the election result, said Zhang Mingqing, spokesperson of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, Wednesday.

On February 3, Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian proposed a so-called "peace and stability framework" across the Straits in a bid to ease mounting pressure over his referendum plan.

Under the framework, he called on Beijing to set up a demilitarized zone, swap special envoys and establish liaison offices between the two sides.

Chen's new proposals came weeks after he threatened a "holy war" against the mainland.

Zhang said at a regular press conference that "What we care about is the stance of future Taiwanese leaders on cross-Straits relations and the reunification of the country." Beijing will not interfere with or comment on the stand of Taiwanese business people on the mainland in the upcoming election.

If Taiwanese entrepreneurs on the mainland wish to set up supportive organizations for certain candidate, they have to abideby mainland regulations on non-governmental organizations, he said. But now applications for such organizations have been proposed, added Zhang.

He stressed the mainland will not permit or offer convenience for any "Taiwan independence" separatist activities on the mainland.

The assertion by Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian that he would establish a so-called framework for cross-Straits peace and stability was deceitful, said the spokesman.

"On the one hand, Chen Shui-bian is bent on having his own way and pursuing a referendum that would provoke confrontation between peoples on both sides of the Taiwan Straits, sabotage cross-Straits relations and endanger peace in the Taiwan Straits," Zhang said.

"On the other hand, he has professed he would set up a so-called framework for cross-Straits peace and stability. We think Chen Shui-bian's words are deceitful," Zhang said.

Zhang said that in the more than three years since he took office, Chen Shui-bian had refused to accept the "one-China" principle.

Zhang called on compatriots in Taiwan and the international community to see through the deceit of Chen Shui-bian and the danger of activities promoting "Taiwan independence".

Because bird flu has been found on both the mainland and Taiwan Island, Zhang said mainland departments are willing to cooperate with their counterparts in Taiwan on bird flu prevention and control.

He hoped that an epidemic situation reporting channel should set up between the mainland and Taiwan. Academic exchanges and cooperation on bird flu prevention should be launched. Vaccination and other medical materials should be shared between the two sides of the Straits.

Mainland simplifies procedures for commuters

At the press briefing, Han Yusheng, deputy director of the Exit and Entry Bureau under the Ministry of Public Security also announced five measures to simplify procedures for across-Straits personnel exchanges.

He said the new package, which aims to make it convenient for Taiwan residents to come to and reside on the mainland, will be phased in as soon as possible.

The proposed methods include:

* Extending the visa period for mainland residents to visit Taiwan;

* Authorizing the Fujian Provincial Department of Public Security to grant five-year travel documents to Taiwan residents;

* Expanding the scope for granting long-term residence permits and multi-entry travel documents to Taiwan residents;

* Simplifying procedures for granting long-term residence permits to Taiwanese businessmen, senior Taiwanese management personnel and their family members as well as Taiwanese residents who study and work on the mainland;

* And providing one-year multi-entry travel documents for Taiwanese businessmen and those from the tourism, civil aviation and shipping industries.

Taiwan travellers paid a total of more than 3.66 million visits to the mainland in 2002 and 2.73 million last year, according to official statistics.

By People's Daily Online

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