Taipei said yesterday it welcomes the visit next week of China's Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman Li Weiyi (李維一) on a media tour.
The trip by Li and 10 media representatives was approved by the Cabinet-level Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), which formulates Taipei's China policy, said MAC spokesman Chen Ming-tung (陳明通).
"We welcome his visit, which is being sponsored by the Taipei-based Chinese Press Institute, as media exchanges are permitted by the government," Chen said.
Li, scheduled to arrive Tuesday, would tour local media organizations including the China Times and Fu Hsing Broadcasting Station (復興廣播電台) during the 10-day stay, Chen said.
Li's itinerary did not include visits to government agencies but MAC officials did not rule out the possibility of him meeting with Taiwan's mainland policy makers at social functions.
In a press conference Wednesday, Li offered to supply water to the Taiwan-controlled drought-stricken islands of Kinmen, Matsu and Penghu off China's southeastern coast.
Li's office issued a statement Thursday saying water could be shipped from the nearby Chinese province of Fujian to the islands very soon if Taiwan agreed.
The MAC hailed the offer as "a demonstration of goodwill."
Water imports from China were technically allowed when authorities here lifted a half-century ban on direct transport, commerce and post links between China and Kinmen and Matsu in January last year.
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