Tue, Apr 19, 2005 page1

• Soong could visit China to meet Hu

  FREELANCE DIPLOMACY People First Party officials said that the party's chairman would consult with both the governing and opposition camps before visiting Beijing

  • By Caroline Hong / STAFF REPORTER
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  In a bid to safeguard the country's interests, any agreement reached with China must have approval of the government, especially on issue pertaining sovereignty or the government's exercise of authority, Presidential Office spokesman Chen Wen-tsung (陳文宗) said yesterday.

  Chen said the government had "no special comment" on exchanges between individuals or parties with Chinese officials following a report that People First Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) has accepted an invitation to visit China.

  Chen also said that during a phone conversation between Presidential Secretary-General Yu Shyi-kun and PFP Secretary-General Chin Chin-sheng (秦金生) yesterday morning, Chin told Yu that Soong will talk with Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) during his visit about the 10-point consensus he reached with President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) on February 24.

  With regard to the possibility of holding another meeting between President Chen and Soong, the Presidential Official spokesman yesterday said it has been open about the idea and that arrangements could be made at any time, so long as Soong is up for a meeting.

  Responding to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) invitation to its chairman, the PFP said yesterday that it would be glad to send a party delegation along with Soong on his China visit. Before leaving, Soong will consider the views of both the pan-blue and pan-green camps, party officials added.

  "We welcome the invitation. It indicates that China recognizes the influence of Soong in his efforts toward the peaceful development of cross-strait relations," said Chin at the PFP headquarters in Taipei yesterday morning.

  Soong will most likely visit China early next month, said PFP spokesman Hsieh Kung-pin (謝公秉).

  Chen Yunlin (陳雲林), head of the China's Taiwan Affairs Office authorized the invitation to Soong and confirmed Hu's willingness to meet with the PFP chairman, according to a Xinhua News Agency report yesterday.

  In the Xinhua News Agency report, Chen Yunlin was quoted as saying that the invitation extended by Jia Qinglin (賈慶林), chairman of the People's Political Consultative Conference to KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) to visit China, was also open to Soong.

  On April 1, Chen Yunlin repeated the invitation to Soong in an interview with local media network TVBS, and repeated Jia's March 31 statement that the CCP welcomes any political party chairman that supports the so-called "1992 consensus" and opposes Taiwan's independence.

  Also speaking on the China invitation yesterday, PFP spokesman Hsieh Kung-pin (謝公秉) said that while it marks the third time the CCP has made the invitation, the PFP waited to accepted until Chen Yunlin was given authorization to make the invitation on behalf of Hu.

  To facilitate the planning of the trip, a PFP delegation headed by Chin will be sent head of Soong to hammer out the details. The delegation will leave by this weekend, Hsieh said.

  Asked PFP which government agencies the PFP delegation will meet with, Hsieh would only say that the PFP was talking to the "appropriate people from the appropriate organization."

  Responding to the upcoming Lien trip, both Hsieh and Chin said yesterday that the PFP is not competing with anyone with regard to meeting Chinese leaders.

  Unlike the KMT, however, Hsieh hinted that the PFP was in communication with the Chen administration about the visit.

  "We respect the ruling authorities, and Soong will form a consensus with ruling and opposition parties before going [to China]," Hsieh said in response to questions about whether Soong would meet with the DPP or with President Chen about the trip.

  While the KMT has said it is open to having Lien communicate with Chen Shui-bian in a phone conversation, the party has maintained that Lien does not need to report to the government before his journey.

  Meanwhile, planning for Lien's trip continued yesterday, with KMT Secretary-General Lin Feng-cheng (林豐正) and Chang Jung-kung (張榮恭), head of the KMT's culture and communications committee, leaving for Beijing yesterday morning.

  Speaking at the airport before his departure, Chang said that during his trip, he and Lin would be talking to officials with the Taiwan Affairs Office. The departure date and agenda for Lien's trip would be discussed, Chang said.

  additional reporting by Huang Tai-lin
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