Taiwan vice president-elect may meet China's Hu
Sun Apr 6, 2008 6:25am EDT
Contributed by Julian Po
TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan's vice president-elect may meet Chinese leader Hu Jintao at a trade fair in China this week, local media said on Sunday, an unprecedented step that would underline the chances for a thaw after years of diplomatic chill.
The trip comes soon after a landslide victory by President-elect Ma Ying-jeou and running mate Vincent Siew in elections last month on a platform to repair strained ties with China, which considers the self-ruled island its own.
Siew, who heads the Cross-Strait Common Market Foundation, will be leading a Taiwan delegation to the annual Boao Forum For Asia in China's southern island province of Hainan.
"Mr. Siew should be able to go. China hasn't said no and that's why we've decided to announce to everybody that we'll be going to the forum on April 11 and returning on April 13," Yu-chi Wang, spokesman for the delegation told Reuters by telephone.
Wang said it was not confirmed whether there would be a meeting between Siew and Hu, though local media, including Taiwan's TVBS television station and the United Daily News, said the two might meet since Hu would be attending the event this year.
The Taiwan Affairs Office was unavailable for comment.
Official talks between China and Taiwan have been suspended since 1999, when Taiwan's former president, Lee Teng-hui, redefined ties as "special state-to-state" relations.
But with the election of the more China-friendly Ma, some analysts believe more than half a century of hostility and tension between China and Taiwan might finally come to an end.
Siew, an ex-premier who has also held top economics posts in Taiwan, has been attending the annual forum in China over the past few years.
China sees Taiwan as a wayward province and wants to bring the island under its fold, by force if necessary. Despite political differences, trade ties have flourished and China has since become Taiwan's top trading partner and favourite investment destination.
(Reporting by Meg Shen and Ian Ransom in Beijing, writing by Lee Chyen Yee; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani)
Julian's comments:Ah yes, aren't we tired of Ah Bian's antagonistic, obonoxious attempts to internationalise Taiwan by renaming national monuments?
Finally, we have two political figures in Taiwan who understand the benefits of a united China, albeit One China, Two Systems. I mean, for the interest of everyone, Taiwan + Hong Kong + Macau + reunification with Mainland = 三媳妇回娘家 = one big, happy family, right?
Mind the digression, but China should be commended for wisely refraining from interfering with 2008's Taiwanese elections. Considering the amount of negative news pin-pointed towards China recently, having "China and Taiwan: 4th Straits Crisis" on the headlines would officially snub the former's dream of hosting a great Olympics.
On the Taiwanese side, the growing evidence of their loss of competitiveness to China would, all the more, necessitate greater economic cooperation between both parties. And with Hong Kong now on China's side (Imagine David + Goliath versus, erm, Mini David) and Japan starting to recover from recession, Taiwan is beginning to feel the pressure of compromising national interests for economic ones. Like Steve Martin would put it, "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!"
Besides, with all the failed pleas to secure a seat in the UN, and with so few countries on official diplomatic ties with Taiwan, being nice to the Big Bro. aka China would seem like the only way to truly internationalise Taiwan and give her the status that she desperately craves for. So, are you listening, Ah Bian?
UPDATE! New article on China-Taiwan relations!
China to honour its commitment to send pandas to Taiwan
From The Hindu News Update Service
Beijing (PTI) China on Friday said it stood by its commitment to send two giant pandas to Taiwan, a move seen by many as Beijings 'panda diplomacy' to soften its ties with the self-ruled island.
Chinas offer to send the pandas was earlier rejected by Taiwan's outgoing administration of Chen Shui-bian, apparently under pressure from pro-independence forces who saw Beijings move as a "propaganda ploy".
However, in a major boost to China's attempts at establishing closer relations with Taiwan, Ma Ying-jeou, who is in favour of closer ties with Beijing scored a landslide victory in the recent presidential elections.
The newly elected Taiwanese leader recently gave his approval to receive the two pandas from China.
He said as Taipei mayor earlier, he had supported acceptance of the giant pandas from China and "so I am in favour of receiving the pandas".
The panda pair, named Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan characters that go together meaning unite were healthy and happy at the Wolong Giant Panda Research Centre in southwestern Sichuan province of China, the State Forestry Administration spokesman Cao Qingyao said, according to Xinhua news agency.
"To let our Taiwan compatriots meet these two pandas at an early date, we hope that relevant organizations on both sides of the Taiwan Strait will start communication and negotiations as soon as possible," Qingyao said.
Taipei and Taichung cities and Hsinchu county are vying with each other to host the pandas from the mainland, after the victory of Ma Ying-jeou, Taiwan media said.
Taiwan had split from China during the civil war in 1949 but Beijing claims it to be part of its territory.
Labels: articles, Panda, Posts by Julian the great, Taiwan
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