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Taiwan welcomes China's remarks on missile withdrawal

ROC Central News Agency

2010/09/24 16:49:07

Taipei, Sept. 24 (CNA) President Ma Ying-jeou has welcomed China Premier Wen Jiabao's Sept. 22 statement that missiles deployed by Beijing across the Taiwan Strait aimed at Taiwan will eventually be removed, one of Ma's aides said Friday.

"It is a sign of goodwill from Beijing, evidence of the peaceful and steady development of bilateral ties and something we are glad to see, " said Joseph Chen, director-general of the Public Affairs Office of the Presidential Office.

Premier Wu Den-yih expressed a similar opinion at the Legislative Yuan earlier in the day before giving a report on his administration's agenda.

"We believe the remark is a gesture of goodwill and we hope that it (the removal) can be done as soon as possible, " Wu said.

"The withdrawal of the missiles will not neutralize all the threat facing Taiwan, but it is a most specific sign of goodwill, " the premier said.

Mainland Affairs Council Chairwoman Lai Shin-yuan said on the same occasion that the withdrawal of the missiles is something "China could do and should do."

"All Taiwan people will be wishing for the early realization of the move," she said.

Wen made his remark on the eventual withdrawal of the missiles in New York, where he was attending the United Nations General Assembly.

He is the highest-ranking Chinese leader ever to have raised the issue in public.

During a meeting with journalists posted by the Chinese-language media to New York, Wen touted the long way cross-Taiwan Strait relations has come in the last two years, citing the launch of direct flights across the Taiwan Strait and the conclusion of the economic cooperation framework arrangement (ECFA) as evidence.

He said the mutual trust between China and Taiwan can be further built upon, on the basis of the economic trust developed by the ECFA.

However, Wen said this should be done in line with the willingness of the people of both sides, and should meet their expectations.

China has deployed more than 1,000 missiles in southern China, aimed directly at Taiwan.

A spokesmen for China's defense department said in Beijing July 30 that the issue is negotiable "based on the one China principle."

In response, President Ma Ying-jeou said through his spokesman Aug. 2, that Beijing should remove the missiles without conditions because doing so would mark an important step towards improving bilateral relations. (By Maubo Chang) ENDITEM/J