Sat, Jul 23, 2005 page1

• Chen wants to go to Pusan summit

  INVITATION The president told a South Korea envoy that the annual APEC leaders' meeting would offer a good opportunity for him to talk with China's leader

  • By Huang Tai-lin / STAFF REPORTER
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  President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) said yesterday that he is willing to take part in the APEC summit in November under the banner of "Chinese Taipei."

  "Although it is not satisfactory [to attend as `Chinese Taipei'], we will respect it, since it was the tacit understanding that was originally established," Chen said.

  In October 1991, both China and Taiwan signed memorandums of understanding with South Korea, and Taiwan agreed to enter APEC under the name of "Chinese Taipei." Taiwan entered APEC in Seoul in 1991 along with China and Hong Kong.

  

  President Chen Shui-bian, right, accepts an invitation to attend the APEC summit in Busan from South Korea envoy Kim Joong-hoon during a meeting at the Presidential Palace yesterday. Chen said he wants to attend the November summit, so he can meet Chinese President Hu Jintao and "write history."

  PHOTO: AFP

  But Beijing has repeatedly blocked Taiwan's presidents and foreign ministers from attending the annual forums. As a result, the president must always appoint an envoy to go on his behalf.

  "If I were able to attend this year's summit, I would respect the agreement that was originally established and not challenge the title issue," he said.

  He said China should have no reason to object to Taiwan attending the meeting as "Chinese Taipei."

  Chen made the remarks as he received Kim Jong-hoon, an envoy sent by South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun to deliver an invitation to Chen to attend the APEC leaders' summit in Pusan.

  Some 6,000 leaders and officials from 21 APEC countries are expected to take part in the Nov. 18-19 meeting.

  Chen told Kim that the summit should be a venue for talks between Taiwan and China's leaders.

  Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) is expected to lead his country's delegation to the summit.

  Chen said it is the international community's expectation that both sides of the Taiwan Strait engage in dialogue and reconcile.

  "The APEC leaders' summit is not a political setting. It is the best platform to discuss regional economic cooperation, and a suitable place to let the leaders of the two sides make contact and hold discussions," Chen said.

  Taiwanese leaders should not be excluded from the annual summit, as the country, like all other APEC members, is entitled to enjoy its rights and assume its obligations in the organization, he said.

  Noting that South Korea had written history in 1991 with its shuttle diplomacy between Taipei and Beijing to negotiate APEC membership, Chen said he hoped "the APEC leaders' summit to be hosted by South Korea this time could write history again."

  "I hope President Roh Moo-hyun can help me attend this year's APEC summit in Pusan," he said.

  Meanwhile, officials are hedging their bets on Chen's chances of actually attending the summit.

  "Numerous factors will impact whether [Chen's participation] will be realized," said an official who wished to remain anonymous. "We will try our best."

  The name "Chinese Taipei" was accepted because it offered ample room for interpretation by both Taipei and Beijing. China calls Taipei "Chung-kuo Taipei" (中國台北) since "Chung-ku" is the Mandarin abbreviation for the People's Republic of China, and this address satisfies Beijing's need to proclaim that Taiwan is a part of China. Taiwan calls itself "Chung-hua Taipei" (中華台北), because "Chung-hua" is the abbreviation for the Republic of China.

  also see story
  

  Editorial: What's Chen up to this time?
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