Amid a recent rush by lawmakers to visit China to conduct so-called "track-two" communications, the New Party caucus at the Legislative Yuan yesterday announced that it is sending a delegation to China on July 9 to exchange views with Beijing officials on political issues.
New Party caucus convener Elmer Fung (
"We hope to conduct direct dialogue [with Beijing] on how both sides of the Taiwan Strait can reach reconciliation and seek a resolution that is acceptable to both sides," Fung said.
Fung said the delegation will arrive in Beijing on July 9, proceed to Shanghai on July 12 and return to Taiwan on July 14. However, Fung said that under an agreement reached with Beijing the details of the itinerary will be kept secret until the delegates arrive, but revealed that they will "meet with people whom they should meet."
In addition to the pro-unification New Party, known for its close contacts with China, a number of lawmakers from other political parties are also planning to lead delegations to China. They include members of two KMT subgroups, the Taiwan Unified Alliance (台聯會) and the Generation-E Alliance (e世代問政聯盟). Even politicians from the Mainstream Alliance (主流聯盟), a subgroup consisting of major DPP factions, are arranging a trip to China.
Legislators from the People First Party also plan to visit China. Chen Horng-chi (
"In the past most Taiwanese delegations [visiting China] were pro-unification hardliners, and thus the true voice of the Taiwanese people was not really heard," Chen said.
Chen said Taiwan needs to keep a channel of communication open through these representatives while official dialogue remains suspended.
"Otherwise, cross-strait misunderstanding and hatred will deepen," Chen said. "Hopefully such contacts will build up an atmosphere of peace to pave the way for the restoration of cross-strait talks."
DPP legislator Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰), who is arranging the Mainstream Alliance's visit to China, said the group hopes to meet with Beijing officials during the trip, but it has not yet obtained an invitation from China.
"If the issues we plan to talk about are too sensitive, there will be a lot of uncertainties involved," Cho said.
Just as establishing contacts with China is becoming a trend among legislators, some members of the DPP are hesitant about the move.
DPP legislator Wong Chin-chu (
Chen said such worries were unnecessary, because the visits are not intended to replace the role of the government.
"In any case, if there are any proposals coming out of these trips the administrative branch still has the final say upon whether to accept it," Chen said.
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