Taipei, May 3 (CNA) ROC President-elect Chen Shui-bian said on Wednesday that his inauguration speech on May 20 will satisfy the United States and will not provoke mainland China.
Chen made the remarks while voicing his views on cross-strait relations during a meeting with Natale H. Bellocchi, former chairman and managing director of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT).
Chen, pointing out that mainland China will never be satisfied unless Taiwan capitulates, reaffirmed his optimism about cross-strait relations.
He said that he will insist on Taiwan's sovereignty, safety and dignity but will extend his goodwill to the mainland.
He also for the first time revealed the outline of his inauguration speech, saying he knows that the mainland China and the rest of the world will be closely watching his words for signs to ease strained cross-strait relations.
He said the "United States will definitely be satisfied with my speech, the world community will have a positive response, and mainland China, even if it is still not satisfied, will not be able to say that we are provoking or creating trouble."
Chen said that his speech will focus mainly on Taiwan's future development, with an emphasis on domestic reforms, democratic development, and economic progress and prosperity, with the topic of cross-strait relations not being a big part of it.
But he pointed out this does not mean he doesn't attach importance to cross-strait relations, saying that "we are discussing the cross-strait issue with all sides, and hope we can use wisdom to solve our differences and see a breakthrough" in the current impasse.
Meanwhile, Chen called on Lee Yuan-tseh, the president of Academia Sinica, the top research institute in Taiwan, earlier in the day. Chen said he discussed cross-strait relations with Lee, hoping to forge a national consensus on the issue.
Chen said he has extended an invitation to the reform-minded Nobel laureate to serve as a presidential advisor in the new government. Lee responded by saying that "if there is a true need, and it does not contradict the regulations concerning my post as the head of Academia Sinica, I will accept the offer."
Lee said Chen knows that it is important for the two sides of the Taiwan Strait to be on good terms and he feels Chen has the sincerity to solve cross-strait problems, adding that mainland China must have felt Chen's goodwill and rational attitude.
Lee said that he has never been pessimistic about the development of cross-strait relations, saying he believes they will move in a "positive" direction.
Cross-strait relations have been strained since Beijing's angry reaction to President Lee Teng-hui's statement in July 1999 that the ties between Taiwan and mainland China is a "special state-to-state relationship." (By Lilian Wu)
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