Beijing has asked the KMT to set up an office in China to facilitate cross-strait business exchanges, KMT legislator Helen Chu (
The offer is just the latest in Beijing's continuing efforts to isolate the DPP-led government in the hope of reviving the fortunes of the KMT -- a party China believes would be more amenable to its unification plans.
In talks with visiting KMT legislators on Friday, Chinese Vice Premier Qian Qichen (
Officials at the KMT's Mainland Affairs Division said the party still needs to assess the feasibility of the idea.
"The KMT's purpose is very simple. That is to serve the many Taiwanese doing business in China," Chu said.
If realized, the offer would mark the first time the KMT has been allowed a foothold in China since the KMT army fled to Taiwan in 1949.
To serve the Taiwanese business community in China -- largely in the form of helping to solve disputes -- the KMT is currently planning the establishment of a Taiwan-based service center under its policy committee.
"But without a foothold in China, the service would be limited," Chu said.
With or without government approval, Taiwanese companies have poured an estimated US$70 billion into China since authorities first allowed civil exchanges between the two sides in 1987.
Chu said the plan was also backed by Chen Yunlin (
"Both Qian and Chen in principle approved the idea, but they still favor a service center to be run by a KMT enterprise," she said.
Chang Jung-kung (
Chang said the party, as a civil organization serving the people, had come up with the plan to set up a Taiwan-based service center for Taiwanese businesses mainly because of the high demand for assistance.
Chang said a number of the party's representatives are businessmen with investments in China, who could help contact other Taiwanese businesses in need of assistance after the service center is set up.
Chang added that the establishment of such a center would have nothing to do with the issue of unification versus independence, and that the center's functions will not overlap with those of the government.
China has been reluctant to deal with President Chen Shui-bian's (
NO HUMAN ERROR: After the incident, the Coast Guard Administration said it would obtain uncrewed aerial vehicles and vessels to boost its detection capacity Authorities would improve border control to prevent unlawful entry into Taiwan’s waters and safeguard national security, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday after a Chinese man reached the nation’s coast on an inflatable boat, saying he “defected to freedom.” The man was found on a rubber boat when he was about to set foot on Taiwan at the estuary of Houkeng River (後坑溪) near Taiping Borough (太平) in New Taipei City’s Linkou District (林口), authorities said. The Coast Guard Administration’s (CGA) northern branch said it received a report at 6:30am yesterday morning from the New Taipei City Fire Department about a
IN BEIJING’S FAVOR: A China Coast Guard spokesperson said that the Chinese maritime police would continue to carry out law enforcement activities in waters it claims The Philippines withdrew its coast guard vessel from a South China Sea shoal that has recently been at the center of tensions with Beijing. BRP Teresa Magbanua “was compelled to return to port” from Sabina Shoal (Xianbin Shoal, 仙濱暗沙) due to bad weather, depleted supplies and the need to evacuate personnel requiring medical care, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesman Jay Tarriela said yesterday in a post on X. The Philippine vessel “will be in tiptop shape to resume her mission” after it has been resupplied and repaired, Philippine Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, who heads the nation’s maritime council, said
REGIONAL STABILITY: Taipei thanked the Biden administration for authorizing its 16th sale of military goods and services to uphold Taiwan’s defense and safety The US Department of State has approved the sale of US$228 million of military goods and services to Taiwan, the US Department of Defense said on Monday. The state department “made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale” to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the US for “return, repair and reshipment of spare parts and related equipment,” the defense department’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a news release. Taiwan had requested the purchase of items and services which include the “return, repair and reshipment of classified and unclassified spare parts for aircraft and related equipment; US Government
More than 500 people on Saturday marched in New York in support of Taiwan’s entry to the UN, significantly more people than previous years. The march, coinciding with the ongoing 79th session of the UN General Assembly, comes close on the heels of growing international discourse regarding the meaning of UN Resolution 2758. Resolution 2758, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1971, recognizes the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as the “only lawful representative of China.” It resulted in the Republic of China (ROC) losing its seat at the UN to the PRC. Taiwan has since been excluded from