Su to China: Talk to the government

Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) yesterday urged Beijing to talk to Taiwan's elected government, saying that this was the proper way to conduct cross-strait talks.

"The era of party-to-party talks has already passed and only the elected government can represent the Taiwanese people," Su said at the legislature yesterday while delivering a special report on issues concerning the National Unification Council and unification guidelines.

The premier was responding to a question from Taiwan Solidarity Union Legislator Lo Chih-ming (羅志明) on recent comments by Chinese official Jia Qinglin (賈慶林).

Jia, who is chairman of China's People's Political Consultative Conference, on Sunday said that Beijing should seek to make contact with "hardliners in Taiwan's pan-green camp."

Su said Jia's remarks showed he has no understanding of Taiwan.

"Taiwan is a democratic country, and while there are many political parties, the elected government is the only one that can represent all of the people," Su said.

Su said that Jia lacked this understanding because China's government was led by the Chinese Communist Party, which was quite different from Taiwan's democratic government.

Su said he wasn't opposed to Jia's call for increasing contact with the pan-green camp.

"We welcome contact as long as Beijing respects Taiwan's sovereignty and the contact takes place on an equal footing," Su said.

Su said that contact should not be used to downgrade the nation's status or promote China's divide and conquer strategies.

Mainland Affair Council Chairman Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) urged Beijing to give up the conditions it has set for interactions with Taiwan.

"[Taiwan] hasn't ruled out talking with China on any issue. It is China -- having set the `one China' principle as a precondition -- that is hampering cross-strait negotiations," Wu said.

"If China is sincere about having contact with Taiwan, it should invite me or other government officials to visit China," Wu said.

Meanwhile, Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) said safeguarding Taiwan's sovereignty was the basic principle Taiwanese should safeguard during cross-strait interaction.

"No matter what China says, what's important for Taiwanese people is to defend the integrity of the nation's sovereignty," he said.

Wang added that talks are needed on many cross-strait issues, including cross-strait direct transportation, the opening of Taiwan to Chinese tourists and the protection of Taiwanese businesspeople investing in China.

"Having talks on these issues would be helpful in advancing cross-strait peace," he said.

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