President walking in semantic minefield

In the minefield of Taiwan-China relations, the search for just the right word can take days.

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), in his New Year's Eve message, urged Beijing to pursue lasting peace in the new century.

He also said: "The integration of our economies, trade, and culture can be a starting point for gradually building faith and confidence in each other. This, in turn, can be the basis for a new framework of permanent peace and political integration."

But -- in an illustration of how delicate relations with arch-rival China are -- the initial English translation left out "political integration."

Domestic media said on Friday officials at the Government Information Office, the Mainland Affairs Council and the National Security Council had scratched their heads for days to find the right word. Meetings were called before they agreed on the more ambiguous, thus less controversial, "integration."

Relevant officials declined to comment, but analysts and some politicians saw this as an attempt by Chen to accommodate Beijing.

"Given his DPP background and ideology, for President Chen to utter political integration is a big step," said National Taiwan University political science professor Bau Tzong-ho (包宗和), referring to Chen's pro-independence DPP.

"After all, he is now talking about integration instead of separation. Will this satisfy Beijing? Of course not. They want nothing short of a clear and specific commitment to unification."

Chen has resisted accepting Beijing's position that Taiwan and the mainland are part of a single China, lest that commit the self-governing island to reunification.

In a departure from the previous government, Chen had said "any option is a possibility" without spelling out the terms -- reunification with or independence from China.

"It's a major breakthrough for President Chen, but it's also a big risk to take," said political analyst Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) of Chen's use of the phrase "political integration".

"He risks alienating his core supporters -- many of them have already thought he's gone too far," said Wu of the National Chengchi University's Institute of International Relations.

DPP lawmaker Parris Chang (張旭成) agreed Chen would face strong pressure from pro-independence diehards if Beijing failed to reciprocate the gesture.

"I hope Beijing would not miss this opportunity to reciprocate the goodwill," Chang said, adding the president was forced to pull back after Beijing virtually ignored all the olive branches extended by Chen since he took office in May.

"It takes two to tango. If only President Chen tries to dance, and the other side sits tight and watches ... President Chen's efforts could be further undermined."

Taiwan had hoped a symbolic opening of limited exchanges between its frontier islands Matsu and Kinmen to the China's province of Fujian in the past week would pave the way for warmer ties.

But in a reaction as grudging as China's last-minute decision to accept Taiwan's offer, Beijing said Taipei had "abandoned the main road to take the small road."

China has avoided expressing enthusiasm for the limited links, trying instead to achieve much broader transport links it hopes will help lead to Taiwan unifying with China.

China hosted Taiwan opposition lawmakers on Friday and Saturday for unofficial talks on opening direct transport and trade links.