President Chen Shui-bian (
"We welcome and appreciate any statement or measure that will be helpful in stabilizing and improving cross-strait relations," Chen said at a meeting with Richard Bush, the chairman of the America Institute in Taiwan, the US de facto embassy in Taiwan.
The president stressed that the democratic choices of Taiwan's 23 million people should be respected and accepted by the international community.
"Communist China has squarely faced the results of Taiwan's legislative elections on Dec. 1 and respects and recognizes the political reality," Chen said.
The DPP emerged as the largest party in the Legislative Yuan for the first time following the polls.
Chen's statement is the first official reaction to the remarks Qian made Thursday, in which he said Beijing welcomed DPP members to visit China and that most members of the party were not stubborn pro-independence activists.
Chen stopped short of describing the gesture by Qian as "friendly," but said the two sides of the Strait should engage in "active cooperation" and urged China's leaders to show goodwill and sincerity in dealing with the country.
"Dialogue between both sides' leaders should be more about economics and less about politics, involve more contacts to reduce misunderstanding, and be based on trust instead of suppression," he said.
Chen said he hoped a visit to China by US President George W. Bush next month would benefit relations between Taiwan and China.
"I believe President Bush will not do anything harmful to the interests of the Taiwanese people," he told Richard Bush, adding he hoped Washington would play a role as a "stabilizer, balancer and promoter" of cross-strait ties.
"There is a huge difference between the US `one China' policy and Communist China's `one China' principle," Chen said. "The US government expects that the cross-strait relationship can be resolved through peaceful means, which is very different to peaceful reunification," the president added.
Richard Bush, the top US envoy to Taiwan, has already reassured the Chen administration that the US president will not sacrifice Taiwan's interests during his trip to China.
Beijing's offer to hold unification talks under the "one China" framework with the DPP has been rejected by Chen, who has stressed the country's independent sovereignty.
DPP Chairman Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) and premier-designate Yu Shyi-kun have called Qian's remarks a rare sign of goodwill and friendliness, saying it shows that Beijing has finally heard the real voice of Taiwan's people.
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