Time not yet ripe for cross-strait political talks: MAC
ROC Central News Agency
2009/12/30 23:47:25
Dec. 30 (CNA) The time is not yet ripe for Taiwan and China to hold political negotiations, Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Vice Chairman Chao Chien-min said in a statement Wednesday to clarify comments he made two days earlier.
Briefing foreign envoys posted in Taiwan on Monday, Chao talked about the direction of future talks between Taiwan and China, and some media outlets interpreted his remarks as signaling that cross-Taiwan Strait political talks were not far away.
In Monday's briefing, however, Chao said Taiwan and China would continue to discuss issues related to investment protection and security after a proposed economic cooperation framework agreement is signed.
On proposed cross-strait political negotiations, Chao told the foreign envoys that it was indeed worrisome that China has deployed over 1,000 missiles on its coast opposite Taiwan.
He said the time was not ripe for Taiwan and China to proceed with political talks related to Taiwan's international space, the political status of each side and military security since "there is a lack of mutual trust between us." Responding to a question by a representative of the American Institute in Taiwan, which represents U.S. interests in Taiwan in the absence of official ties, Chao cited both MAC Chairwoman Lai Shin-yuan and Chen Yunlin, China's top negotiator with Taiwan, as saying that political talks are not the priority task of both sides at the moment.
(By Feng Chao & Bear Lee) enditem/ls
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