ARATS President Calls for Talks with SEF LeaderThe mainland's top negotiator with Taiwan Thursday reiterated Beijing's call for resumption of contact between both sides of the Straits."I will go to Taiwan, but at an appropriate time," said Wang Daohan, president of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS). "It all depends on if Taiwan authorities adhere to the one-China principle." During a meeting with a delegation of the Taiwan New Party, Wang emphasized that ARATS and Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) reached a consensus in Hong Kong in November 1992, with both sides agreeing to adhere to the one-China principle, holding that it is the basis to realizing contact and dialogue between the two. The trip of the 10-member delegation led by "member of parliament" Feng Hu-hsiang, is the first ever to the mainland by a Taiwan political party. Feng said his delegation was happy to have met with Wang: "We are happy to be here with Wang, because he has not met with any delegation since January." Addressing Taiwan authorities' rejection of the agreement reached by ARATS and SEF that blocked the resumption of dialogue, Wang said that adherence to the one-China policy is not what the mainland has imposed on Taiwan, but the obligation of the Taiwan side. "The resumption of dialogue based on the one-China policy is the common wish of people on both sides of the Straits," said Wang, an 86-year-old top envoy of Taiwan affairs expressing his confidence of meeting with his "old friend" Koo Chen-fu in the future. He said he is optimistic about the development of relations across the Straits, despite Taiwan authorities' refusal to accept the one-China policy. Wang held a historic summit with his Taiwanese counterpart Koo Chen-fu, chairman of Taiwan's SEF, in Singapore in 1993, which led to a series of technical negotiations. Talks were broken off in 1995 after the US visit by then-Taiwan leader Lee Teng-hui. On the issue of direct postal, commercial and transport links across the Straits, Wang said the realization of "three links" and economic co-operation accords was the trend of the times and desire of the people. Wang indicated that with China's pending entry into the World Trade Organization, economic and trade co-operation across the Straits under the principle of one China will be solved easily. In response to reporters' questions about when cross-Straits hostility would end, Wang said that depends on Taiwan. Wang acknowledged he noticed the adjustment made by Taiwan authorities from insisting on "Taiwan independence." Expressing hope for increased dialogue to improve conditions for negotiations, Wang said he is willing to work with all Taiwanese to further promote cross-Straits communications. Satisfied with the fruit of the delegation's visit, Feng said he believes its visit was helpful to bring about rapprochement between Taiwan and the mainland and to express Taiwan's desire to improve exchange. When asked about the New Party's comments on the US move to include Taiwan in its proposed Theatre Missile Defence (TMD) system, Feng said his party insisted on dealing with cross-Straits relations through peaceful exchange, not confrontation. "Joining TMD only lets foreign arms dealers gain advantages," Feng said. Taiwan experts Thursday said they welcomed the friendly exchange between Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits and the New Party. "The meeting held by Wang has fully shown the mainland's sincerity to exchange views on cross-Straits relations and peaceful reunification with all Taiwan political parties who approve the one-China principle," said Xin Qi, a researcher with the Centre for Peace and Development Studies. "The next step is to watch the response from Taiwan authorities and Straits Exchange Foundation," Xin said. "The visit of the New Party, which has reflected goodwill of some Taiwanese, will undoubtedly put pressure on Taiwan authorities." |
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