Former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairman Lien Chan (連戰) yesterday expressed his excitement on witnessing Friday’s inaugural cross-strait weekend charter flights, calling it an achievement that would make people around the world proud.
“I believe the implementation of cross-strait charter flights and the arrival of the first group of Chinese tourists in Taiwan could promote peaceful cross-strait development and make people around the world proud of this generation of Chinese,” Lien said while addressing a luncheon at the Grand Formosa Regent Hotel in Taipei to welcome China’s Cross-Strait Tourism Association chairman Shao Qiwei (邵琪偉).
Dozens of charter flights landed and departed at airports around the country on Friday, bringing the first group of Chinese tourists to Taiwan following the implementation of cross-strait charter flights.
Lien and his wife, accompanied by Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) and about 30 KMT legislators, hosted the luncheon for Shao and the first batch of Chinese tourists to take the maiden weekend charter flight to Taiwan.
Greeting Shao and the Chinese tourists, Lien lauded the historical significance of the inaugural flights, saying the two sides of the Taiwan Strait had waited 60 years for direct flights.
Lien also blamed the administration of former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) for refusing to push direct flights and open the country to Chinese tourists despite the consensus reached at the KMT-Chinese Communist Party forum in 2005 on cross-strait flights and tourism.
“It’s a shame that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait failed to engage in any form of exchanges in the past. Now we have learned our lesson that a responsible political party should promote cross-strait relations,” he said.
Shao said he agreed that cross-strait charter flights and allowing Chinese tourists to visit Taiwan would stimulate the economy on both sides of the Strait.
Shao’s dual status as both chairman of the China National Tourism Association and that of the semi-official Cross-Strait Travel Association has made him the focus of media attention.
Earlier yesterday, Shao said he was excited about the fact that Chinese tourists could now travel in Taiwan without having to transit via a third county.
“I believe that Chinese tourists can all sense the warmth and hospitality of Taiwanese people,” Shao told reporters after paying his respects to Sun Yat-sen (孫中山) at Taipei’s Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall yesterday morning.
“They will bring these precious feelings back to China, which will attract more tourists to come,” Shao said.
Cheng Nai-wen (鄭乃文), director general of National Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, said he had given Shao and the 34 Chinese delegates traveling with him special album sabout the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall. The albums include sketches of the memorial hall’s design, paintings and memorial stamps featuring the memorial hall and Sun Yat-sen’s calligraphy.
“The album is only given to special guests visiting the memorial hall,” he said. “It is not for sale.”
Later last night, KMT Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung (吳伯雄) also hosted a dinner party for Shao and other Chinese tourism industry representatives.
While lauding the implementation of weekend charter flights and the arrival of the first group of Chinese tourists as a major step toward peaceful cross-strait relations, Wu said he expected such exchanges to help China understand Taiwan’s urge for peace with dignity and security.
“We are hoping that through frequent visits, friends in China will understand better Taiwanese’s legitimate wish to live under a safe environment, live in dignity and enjoy more international space,” Wu said.
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