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MAC WELCOMES RICE'S CALL FOR CHINA TO CONTACT DPP ADMINISTRATION

Central News Agency

2005-07-10 19:24:27

    Taipei, July 10 (CNA) The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said Sunday it welcomes U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's call for China to talk directly with Taiwan's duly elected government. "Rice's appeal is in compliance with our basic stance. We have consistently asked the Beijing government not to only contact our opposition parties but to also engage in dialogue with our popularly elected government," MAC Chairman Joseph Wu said.

    Asked about her views on Beijing's recent contacts with Taiwan's opposition parties at a news conference in Beijing earlier in the day, Rice said Beijing should talk directly with Taiwan's government in addition to its opposition leaders. "We do think that cross-straits contacts are a good thing.... We would hope that that would extend to contacts with the elected government of Taiwan because that would also be very good," Rice said at a news conference after meeting with Chinese President Hu Jintao and other senior Chinese officials.

    Beijing has tried in recent months to isolate President Chen Shui-bian's administration by building ties with his political opponents, including opposition Kuomintang Chairman Lien Chan and People First Party Chairman James Soong.

    In meetings with Chinese leaders, Rice said she affirmed Washington's desire to see cross-Taiwan Strait disputes settled peacefully. She also expressed concern at China's military buildup. "America's desire is that there'll be no unilateral changes to the status quo, " Rice said. "We are concerned about the military balance and have said to China that they should do nothing militarily to provoke Taiwan."

    Rice reiterated the Bush administration's stance regarding the "one China" policy, the three communiques signed between the United States and China, and the U.S. obligations under the Taiwan Relations Act.

    She also said that Washington does not want to see either side of the Taiwan Strait change the current status quo in the strait.

    The United States does not support Taiwan moving forward toward independence and is concerned about the balance of military power in the Taiwan Strait, the U.S. secretary of state further said, adding that the United States has told China not to take any military action to provoke Taiwan.

    Noting that Taiwan and China have a very robust economic relationship, Rice said the United States encourages "as much contact as possible" between Taiwan and China.

    Wu said he welcomes Rice's comments, adding that Beijing should understand that it will only see progress in cross-strait relations through dialogue with Taiwan's duly elected government.

(By Sofia Wu)

enditem/Li