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Cabinet official leaves for China, may meet Jiang

"According to their arrangements, there should be such an occasion [to meet Jiang Zemin]."

Chen Po-chih, chairman of the Council for Economic Planning and Development

Chen Po-chih (陳博志), Chairman of the Cabinet-level Council for Economic Planning and Develop-ment, said yesterday he would lead an official delegation to attend a ministerial-level meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.

The minister will leave for Beijing today to become the most senior official in President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) administration to visit China.

Chen said Chinese President Jiang Zemin (江澤民) would make an appearance during the May 14 through 16 conference, which will focus on manpower.

"According to their arrangements, there should be such an occasion," Chen said of a possible meeting with Jiang.

But asked if he had any political message for Jiang, Chen paused for five seconds but gave no answer.

"We hope we can cooperate in various fronts under the APEC framework and promote friendly relations and developments not just across the Taiwan Strait but in the entire region over the long run," Chen said.

It is rare for any incumbent members of the Cabinet to visit China. The last time a Cabinet member visited the mainland was in 1995 when Kuo Nan-hung (郭南宏), then chairman of the Cabinet's National Science Council, attended an APEC ministerial-level meeting.

In an unusual 1994 episode, the government allowed John Chang (章孝嚴), then chairman of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Commission, to go to Beijing to visit his brother who had suddenly taken ill.

Former finance minister Shirley Kuo (郭婉容) was the first minister to set foot in China since 1949 when she attended an Asian Development Bank meeting in Beijing in 1989.

Beijing rolled out the red carpet this week for Vincent Siew (蕭萬長), a the former KMT premier who is touting economic integration.

Chinese Vice Premier Qian Qichen (錢其琛) met Siew on Friday for what Siew called "comprehensive" talks.

Chen Po-chih, whose agency was responsible for reviewing the "no haste, be patient" investment policy towards the mainland, said the government was in favor of liberalization, but it needed to protect its industries and workers.

"Of course, we are worried that capital and technology outflows will lead to a hollowing-out of local industries, but we must allow our industries to have an opportunity to use China as a base for their global expansion," Chen said.

Chen nevertheless appealed to local high-tech companies to slow the pace of their investments in China in the wake of rising unemployment at home.

Chen said his council would complete its review by the end of May, but no relaxation timetable has been set.

"If both sides are sincere and with goodwill, we can consider speeding things up," Chen said.
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