The mainland hopes for peace and stability in Taiwan, Li Weiyi,
spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, told
yesterday's news briefing.
"Taiwan compatriots are our flesh and blood," he said.
Commenting on the ongoing protests in Taipei to oust Taiwan
leader Chen Shui-bian, Li said: "We do not want to see any
unfortunate events occur."
Chinese people on the mainland, together with Taiwan
compatriots, will continue to strongly oppose "Taiwan independence"
forces, while maintaining cross-Straits peace and stability and
pushing for improved ties, he added.
The anti-Chen protests started on Saturday when more than
300,000 people took to the streets of Taipei to voice their
contempt for Chen and his family members, who are embroiled in a
string of corruption allegations.
Li warned of an intensified secessionist push by Chen during the
rest of his term to woo diehard pro-independence forces.
The warning follows Taiwan failure in its bid to become a member
of the UN for the 14th year running.
The embattled Taiwan leader, under mounting pressure to resign,
has vowed to push for Taiwan's admission to the UN and write a new
"constitution" for the island before his term ends in May 2008.
Li said Taiwan's latest application for UN membership is a "new
and dangerous" step taken by Chen along the secessionist path.
"It further exposes his sinister motive to speed up secessionist
activities."
The UN General Assembly's General Committee on Tuesday decided
not to put the Taiwan issue on the agenda, turning down a request
from some of the island's allies.
Since 1993, Taiwan has made annual bids to join the UN.
Li said the UN's latest rejection of Taiwan demonstrates that
the majority of UN members believe there is only one China, and
Taiwan, as a part of China, is not qualified to join the UN in any
name or through any means.
Li also denounced Chen's attempt to pursue "de jure
independence" through so-called "constitutional reform."
A resolution adopted in 1971 at the 26th UN General Assembly
granted the People's Republic of China full legal status in the
UN.
Also at the press conference, Li said the leaders of the Central
Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC)?and the State
Council have expressed their condolences to the families of two
Taiwan tourists who died in a road accident on the mainland.
Li expressed his profound condolences to the families of the
dead and wished those injured a speedy recovery.
The accident occurred at 9:45 AM Monday on a highway in Wangqing
County when 20 Taiwan tourists were traveling from Heilongjiang Province to Jilin Province. The bus overturned and plunged
into a river on the Songlao Highway.
Two women tourists and the mainland bus driver were killed. The
dead tourists were Lin Ching-miao, 62, and Leu Hsiu-ching, 66. The
other 18 tourists were injured in the accident.
Turning to business issues, Li said the mainland will help
Taiwan firms that meet the relevant requirements to list on
mainland exchanges.
Asked whether the Olympic torch relay would pass through Taiwan,
Li said the mainland hopes that Taiwan people can share the
moment.
"We are considering Taiwan compatriots' desire to design the
Olympic torch relay route," Li said, adding that the route is
subject to approval by the International Olympic Committee.
Li said Taiwan enterprises such as Uni-President Group are
taking part in Olympics-related projects and some Taiwan companies
have contacted the Beijing Organizing Committee about cooperation
opportunities.
With regard to mainlanders visiting the island, Li said that
mainland authorities have urged for a timely response from Taiwan
to their proposal of starting consultations on the issue.
"We are looking forward to early liaison between Taiwan
authorities and a suitable non-governmental organization on the
island regarding mainlanders' visits to Taiwan.
"We will propose consultations as soon as a suitable
non-governmental tourist organization has been set up on the
island," Li said. "We have an open attitude on the issue."
Negotiations could be held on the mainland, in Taiwan, in Hong
Kong or Macao, he added.
According to Li, the mainland is fully prepared for mainlanders
visiting Taiwan.
Shao Qiwei, head of the China Tourist Association, led a study
group to Taiwan from October 28 to November 6, 2005, which paved
the way for the opening of tourist routes to the island.
Mainland authorities subsequently published regulations on
traveling to Taiwan on April 16 this year.
At the first executive meeting of the cross-Straits tourist
exchange association held on August 17, it was announced that
preparations for promoting mutual tourist exchanges across the
Taiwan Straits were completed.
The central government authorized mainland residents to visit
Taiwan in May 2005.
Li also told the press briefing that the Cross-Straits
Agricultural Cooperation Forum will be held from October 17 to 18
in Bo'ao, Hainan Province.
Li said the forum could not be convened in Taiwan as originally
planned because their authorities would not allow mainland
delegates to attend.
The CPC and the Kuomintang (KMT) Party had been working hard to
hold the forum in Taiwan.
"We have accepted the suggestion by the KMT Party to hold a
series of cross-Straits agricultural cooperation activities on the
mainland," Li announced.
These activities include an exhibition on cross-Straits
agricultural cooperation achievements. This will be held in Xiamen,
Fujian Province on October 19. Taiwan
delegates will also be invited to inspect some pilot agricultural
projects in Shandong, Guangdong and Guangxi.
In other announcements, Li said that news exchange and
cooperation across the Taiwan Straits will proceed more smoothly
after the promulgation of new measures concerning?overseas
news agencies' release of news and information in China.
The measures, which went into effect on September 10, will apply
to the release of news and information on the mainland by news
agencies and similar organizations in the Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region, Macao Special Administrative Region and
Taiwan.
"These measures were formulated and promulgated by Xinhua News
Agency in accordance with relevant regulations of the State Council
to promote the dissemination of news and information in a sound and
orderly manner.
"The measures protect the rights and interests of relevant
parties, including intellectual property rights," Li said.
(Xinhua News Agency, China Daily September 14,
2006)