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PRESIDENT URGES CHINA TO OPEN DIRECT DIALOGUE WITH HIM

Central News Agency

2005-07-12 22:17:30

    Taipei, July 12 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian called on China Tuesday to engage in direct dialogue with the elected leader of Taiwan, saying it will not help resolve problems in cross-Taiwan Strait relations if Beijing continues to isolate the government and maintains contact only with civic groups and opposition parties.

    Chen made the remarks during a meeting with Randall Schriver, former U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state in charge of East Asia and Pacific Affairs, who is visiting Taiwan. Chen conferred the Order of Brilliant Star with Violet Grand Cordon on Schriver in recognition of his promotion of Taiwan-U.S. relations.

    According to Chen, Beijing's continued suppression of Taiwan during this year's annual meeting of the World Health Assembly proves that visits to China by opposition Kuomintang Chairman Lien Chan and People First Party Chairman James Soong had no substantial effect.

    The situation also speeded up the abatement of "China fever" in Taiwan, Chen claimed.

    Chen stressed that any agreement reached between China and the opposition parties is pointless because the only effective way to resolve cross-strait differences is to engage in talks with the government of Taiwan.

    After Lien's and Soong's visits to China, the 23 million people of Taiwan realized that Beijing is not sincere about improving its relations with Taiwan but is only trying to divide the country, Chen claimed.

    Chen said although it is unlikely that a satisfactory answer to cross-strait differences will be found in the near term, he will continue to seek contact and dialogue with China.

    Only through contact and dialogue will the gap between both sides narrow, Chen said.

    Asked by Schriver if he thinks it is possible that he can hold talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao during his term, Chen said this is not a matter that can be decided by himself or unilaterally by Taiwan.

    If China is truly sincere about narrowing cross-strait differences and resolving cross-strait disputes, it should stop making the "one China" principle or the "non-existent 1992 consensus" a precondition for cross-strait talks, Chen said.

    As Taiwan will hold its next presidential election in 2008, with each party expected to start its presidential nomination in 2007, 2005 and 2006 will be the "window of opportunity" for Taiwan and China to restore dialogue, Chen said.

    They will have to wait until 2008 if they miss this timing, he claimed.

    Meanwhile, Schriver said it is a long-standing policy of the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush to urge the Chinese government to engage in dialogue with the duly elected leader of Taiwan.

    According to Schriver, Washington thinks the enactment of the Anti-Secession Law by China is a highly provocative move, but the Chinese leader has come to realize what a price he will have to pay for this mistaken policy, especially the damage to China's bilateral relations with the United States, Japan and European Union.

(By Y.F. Low)

ENDITEM/J