Taiwan's opposition leader to meet China's Hu(divide and conquer?)

Financial Times ^ | 04/20/05 | Kathrin Hille

[TigerLikesRooster]

http://news.ft.com/cms/s/160b7bbc-b183-11d9-8c61-00000e2511c8.html

Taiwan's opposition leader to meet China's Hu
By Kathrin Hille in Taipei
Published: April 20 2005 11:43 | Last updated: April 20 2005 11:43

Lien Chan, chairman of Taiwan's opposition Kuomintang, will meet China's President Hu Jintao next week, a move set to force the island's government to make a quick decision on its cross-Strait policy.

After China passed an "anti-secession law" enshrining the threat of force against Taiwan, Taipei suspended cross-Strait trade and investment liberalisation. The government wanted political concessions from Beijing in exchange for reviving dialogue.

China has disrupted this strategy by taking advantage of Taiwan's internal divisions. By showering Chiang Pin-kung, a KMT vice-chairman, with honours on a mainland trip earlier this month, offering Mr Lien the most high-level treatment and also inviting to Beijing James Soong, another opposition leader, the Chinese government hopes to depict Chen Shui-bian, Taiwan's president, as being isolated in his opposition to China's claim of sovereignty.

For Mr Lien, the tour is an attempt to build a political legacy shortly before he steps down as party chairman this summer after losing two presidential elections.

During his one-week trip which starts on April 26, he will also visit Nanjing, Xi'an and Shanghai and address students at Beijing University, following the example of foreign heads of state.

The meeting with Mr Hu would have a "large, meaningful impact on peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait", said Lin Feng-cheng, KMT secretary-general.

However, Taiwan's government has warned that Mr Lien could be breaking the law by negotiating with Chinese leaders. Prosecutors are investigating Mr Chiang for alleged treason over his earlier "consensus" with Beijing.

"We are evaluating how to prevent the visit from creating political turmoil," said Joseph Wu, head of the Mainland Affairs Council.

If China's leaders were to offer Taiwan meaningful concessions through Mr Lien ? such as a reduction of missiles deployed across the Strait or the willingness to let Taiwan become an observer in the World Health Organisation ? it would be hard for Mr Chen's government to vilify the opposition leader.

However, yesterday Beijing gave signals to the contrary when the foreign ministry called on the newly elected pope to break diplomatic ties with Taiwan.

Under such circumstances, Mr Lien's visit could leave the KMT vulnerable to criticism by the government that he is selling out Taiwan's interests.

Mr Wu said Mr Soong's planned China visit was much less controversial because he has signed a 10-point agreement with the president which includes the pledge to co-operate on improving cross-Strait relations.

Thus Mr Soong could become an unofficial envoy of the president, and he and the government would take the credit if any meaningful dialogue with China were to ensue.

Ma Ying-jeou, the popular Taipei mayor who is running for the post of KMT chairman, urged Mr Lien to make his trip more than a backward journey of nostalgia over the KMT's mainland roots. In a sign of concern that the visit could backfire, Mr Ma said: "Keep in mind that you are representing the Taiwanese people."

[TigerLikesRooster]

Ping!

[snowsislander]

By showering Chiang Pin-kung, a KMT vice-chairman, with honours on a mainland trip earlier this month, offering Mr Lien the most high-level treatment

I would be unsurprised to find out that the "showering" included dousing with generous amounts of dollars deposited in off-shore banks.

The Chicoms have played their political hands more adroitly than I would like, though of course the fact that we have made them wealthy certainly makes it far easier for them.

[RicocheT]

Red China is a bully that will go to war to get its way with Taiwan. Causing an end to the present international trade that benefits Red China will be tossed aside and we will have WWIII. Right now, Red China is buying the opposition in Taiwan to destabilize the Taiwan government.

Lien Chan, chairman of Taiwan's opposition Kuomintang, Chiang Pin-kung, a KMT vice-chairman and James Soong, another opposition leader may get payoffs now, but will get a bullet in the head when Red China takes Taiwan.

As noted in the article, "After China passed an "anti-secession law" enshrining the threat of force against Taiwan, Taipei suspended cross-Strait trade and investment liberalization. The government wanted political concessions from Beijing in exchange for reviving dialogue."

Taiwan's response was proper as you can't reward a bully.

[Avenger]

However, Taiwan's government has warned that Mr Lien could be breaking the law by negotiating with Chinese leaders. Prosecutors are investigating Mr Chiang for alleged treason over his earlier "consensus" with Beijing.

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If old Chiang were still alive Lien Chan would have already been shot in a firing squad.