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ARATS chief apologizes for melamine

Ahead of his planned visit to Taiwan on Monday, China’s top cross-strait negotiator apologized in Beijing yesterday to Taiwan for the scandal over melamine-contaminated food.

Chen Yunlin (陳雲林), chairman of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS), told Taiwanese reporters that “the mainland felt deeply sorry” for the incident, which he said had “sabotaged the rights of Taiwanese consumers.”

“I would like to once again apologize to Taiwanese compatriots,” he said. “We are all victims of the incident. We empathize with Taiwanese compatriots and we will hold those businesses lacking ethics and a conscience legally responsible.”

Chen’s oral apology came in the wake of a written apology issued by his agency on Monday.

Panic spread among Taiwanese consumers after China informed Taipei last month that a shipment of 25 tonnes of milk powder imported from China in June contained traces of the industrial chemical melamine.

Premier Liu Chao-shiuan (劉兆玄) demanded that Beijing apologize over the scare.

On Monday, ARATS issued a written statement to Taiwanese, apologizing for causing trouble and losses to Taiwanese consumers and distributors.

The statement was ostensibly a move aimed at easing Taiwanese dissatisfaction ahead of the meeting between Chen and his Taiwanese counterpart, Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) Chairman Chiang Pin-kung (江丙坤), during Chen’s visit from Monday to next Friday.

Both sides have reached a consensus to sign four agreements on direct aviation routes, direct sea transportation links, direct postal service and food safety.

President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said during a TV interview on Wednesday that he believed Chen would “do something” during his visit because Taiwanese expected him to apologize.

Chiang yesterday said that he welcomed Chen’s apology, which he said would have a “positive impact” on the upcoming meeting.

A more significant task in the future, however, will be to prevent similar incidents from recurring, he said.

Meanwhile, Mainland Affairs Council Deputy Chairman Liu Te-shun (劉德勳) said Beijing’s next step should be to follow up with concrete action, including responding to Taiwanese consumers and distributors seeking compensation.

In addition to signing the four agreements, two forums will be held to discuss the impact of the global financial crisis and other economic issues.

Saying that the meetings would not touch on political issues, Chen said the four accords were aimed at advancing economic cooperation, making cross-strait visits more convenient and serving the public interest.

Regarding the direct air routes, Chen said he hoped to see the opening of the north, south and median routes, which the Ministry of National Defense has opposed because of security concerns.

Chen choked back tears yesterday when he said he could not visit southern Taiwan during his visit.

Chen said he promised Chiayi residents he had met earlier this month that he would visit them, but because of time constraints, he would not be able to do so.

“I will definitely go when an opportunity arises,” he said.

In Taipei, Ma said yesterday he remained committed to upholding national sovereignty and denied allegations by the opposition that his administration was tilting excessively toward Beijing

While receiving a group of Taiwanese military veterans, Ma said that as president of the Republic of China, he had always made the country’s sovereignty, Taiwan’s dignity and the people’s security a top priority.

“All the negotiation issues are practical,” he said. “It serves the interests of the people if both sides shelve political differences and focus on addressing economic issues.”

While the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has accused him of being “China friendly,” Ma said he was “Taiwan friendly” and that it was unfair to label former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) as someone who “loves Taiwan” and him as someone who is “selling out Taiwan” simply because he is a member of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT).

At a meeting with John Hapner, national commander of the American Veterans organization, Ma said Taipei would “stand firm” when negotiating with Beijing.

Ma said he was working to restore mutual trust with the US and improve relations with China. His administration is trying to promote cross-strait peace and normalize cross-strait economic ties to sustain Taiwan’s development, he said.

Concerned that the negotiations could compromise Taiwan’s sovereignty, the DPP said it strongly opposed the meeting and would hold a series of protests during Chen Yunlin’s visit.

DPP caucus whip William Lai (賴清德) called Chen Yunlin’s tears “crocodile tears.”

“We already found [ARATS Vice Chairman] Zhang Mingqing’s (張銘清) tears hard to believe. Little did we know that Chen Yunlin is a better actor than Zhang Mingqing,” Lai said.

Zhang left for China ahead of schedule last Wednesday after he was jostled and jeered by independence activists and politicians last Tuesday. At Kaohsiung International Airport, Zhang said the warmth of Taiwanese was “memorable.”

In related news, a melee broke out at the legislature’s Internal Administration Committee yesterday between KMT and DPP lawmakers over Chiang’s absence from the meeting. Chiang had been scheduled to deliver a report on Chen Yunlin’s visit.

DPP lawmakers chanted slogans criticizing Chiang for failing to show up and accused him of treating them with contempt, while Legislator Lin Shu-fen (林淑芬) jumped on top of a desk.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY CNA AND STAFF WRITER

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