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Hu calls for new talks with Taiwan

Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) yesterday called for new talks with Taiwan, and warned that the country's independence advocates remained the greatest threat to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

"Only by opposing and checking Taiwan's independence forces can we eliminate the biggest threat harming the peaceful and stable development of ties across the strait,'' Hu said during a meeting with former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairman Lien Chan (連戰).

China and Taiwan should "resume talks on an equal footing as soon as possible," Hu said during the meeting, which was carried live on state-run television.

Throughout his speech, Hu stressed the importance of peace between China and Taiwan.

Without mentioning President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) by name, Hu said ties have not moved forward because Taiwan's government has refused to embrace the "1992 consensus" in which Beijing and Taipei's previous KMT administration agreed that both Taiwan and China are part of "one China," but disagreed on what that meant.

"Adhering to the 1992 consensus is an important basis for realizing peaceful development between the two sides," Hu said.

Hu's one-hour meeting with the former party head and nearly 200 Taiwanese politicians, academics, and businesspeople is part of a campaign by Beijing to isolate Chen by forging ties with his political opposition.

China is also trying to sway public opinion in Taiwan in favor of China by offering trade concessions to appeal to one of its key voting groups, farmers. Beijing on Saturday announced tariff cuts on imports of fruit and fish from Taiwan.

Hu's overtures came on the heels of the abolition by Chen in late February of a symbolic body and guidelines on eventual unification with China. Beijing condemned Chen's move then, but Hu said yesterday that China's policy toward Taiwan would not change.

"We will fulfill our promises to Taiwan compatriots. There will be no change just because of momentary fluctuations in the situation or a small group of people interfering in or sabotaging" ties, Hu said without elaborating.

Lien, defeated by Chen in the 2000 presidential elections and again in 2004, said yesterday there could be no prosperity if there was no peace. He warned of possible conflict with China because of a tug-of-war between pro- and anti-independence forces in Taiwan.

The forum between the communists and the KMT ended on Saturday when China held out a clutch of potential economic agreements intended to court public opinion in Taiwan.

China offered aviation, agricultural and finance deals and urged Taiwan to negotiate on steadily expanding direct air flights. China also pledged to lower tariff and quarantine barriers on Taiwan-grown fruit and vegetables, as well as other farm goods, and ease rules for tourism and investment in China.

During his stay in Beijing, Lien also attended a two-day government forum on cross-strait business.

Meanwhile, the DPP rejected the new peace overture from China as "poison" aimed at undermining Taiwan's government and leading to eventual unification with China.

While Hu said peace and development should be the "main issue" in developing talks between the sides, this position was rejected by DPP caucus whip Chen Chin-jun (陳景峻).

"The Chinese regime has refused to negotiate with the government of the Republic of China," Chen said.

He said the call for peace as well as the economic package had an "obvious" purpose.

"It is aimed at undermining the power of the government ... it's a poison coated with sugar," he said.

Beijing has declined to hold dialogue with the DPP government unless it accepts the "one China" principle.

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