Officials cautious about Olympic torch proposal

China's proposal to let the Olympic torch pass through Taiwan when Beijing hosts the 2008 Olympic Games ignited heated debate yesterday. Many officials, scholars and lawmakers warned that Taiwan should handle the proposal very cautiously.

"What is the implications of the torch passing through Taiwan? We should carefully study this issue. It's only when we make sure that the move doesn't have any political implications that we can accept the proposal," said Lin Bih-jaw (林碧炤), a senior research fellow at the Taiwan Research Institute, during a seminar on cross-strait relations.

On Friday, China's state-run Xinhua News Agency quoted members of Beijing's Olympic delegation in Moscow as proposing that the torch should pass through Taiwan.

Chen Ming-tong (陳明通), vice chairman of the Mainland Affairs Council, said the route of the Olympic torch was not to be decided by the hosting country alone, adding that if the Olympic torch passed through Taiwan in 2008, it would represent the fact that Taiwan took part in this important international event.

The related decision would be jointly made by the International Olympic Committee together with the host country, said Chen, adding that the passage of the torch through Taiwan would not mean that China is declaring Taiwan to be part of itself.

When Beijing was asked -- as part of the bid proceedings -- what route the torch would take through China if the city was to win, the reply was that they would let the torch pass though Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, Chen said.

But Byron Weng (翁松燃), a professor from National Chi Nan University and also a senior advisor to President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), viewed the possibility with caution.

Weng said that even if China did not attach any political meaning to the idea, the very fact that China proposed to let the Olympic torch pass through the island, would mean that if Taiwan accepts the proposal the nation could look like it is admitting that it is part of China.

"If the torch passed through Taiwan, then the move may shatter our status as a sovereign state," Weng added.

DPP legislator Lin Cho-shui (林濁水) said that if Beijing showed respect to Taiwan when the Olympic torch passed through the island, the move could be a win-win situation for both Taipei and Beijing.

But Weng said he doubted whether Beijing could separate the Olympics from politics, saying the way Beijing handled the issue would be a most "severe test" for China.

Cheng Chih-fu (鄭志富), vice chairman of Taiwan's National Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, said on Friday that as long as "the principles of equality, mutual benefit and national dignity were upheld, [Taiwan] would be willing to accept [Beijing's offer]" to let the torch pass through Taiwan.

Despite concerns of China's human rights records, Beijing won the 2008 Summer Games in a vote by the International Olympic Committee on Friday.

The Chinese capital defeated Toronto, Paris, Istanbul and Osaka in the race to become the host city. In 1993, Beijing lost the 2000 Games to Sydney by just two votes.