Five relatives of the nine Chinese victims of doomed CAL flight CI611 arrived in Taiwan yesterday evening, with another 30 expected to arrive today, Shi Hwei-yow (許惠祐), Secretary-General of the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF, 海基會) told reporters during a news briefing yesterday.
Shi said that that no Chinese officials would accompany the relatives to Taiwan.
Shi said that staff from the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) and the Taiwan chapter of the Red Cross Society would accompany the group to Penghu.
Some family members and relatives of Chinese victims from the southeastern province of Fujian, the province nearest Taiwan, expressed their wish to come to Taiwan via the sea route between the Chinese port city of Xiamen and Taiwan's outlying island of Kinmen.
The MAC's Director of Information and liaison Chen Chung-hong (陳崇弘) said yesterday, "We have to discuss the matter at an internal meeting, but we will certainly do whatever we can to assist the relatives of Chinese victims."
Similarly, asked whether the bodies of the Chinese victims could be returned to China via the sea route, Shi said that that the SEF would have to discuss the matter with the MAC but that, "we will do our best to assist."
Meanwhile, a Chinese fishing vessel sailing in the western portion of the Taiwan Strait yesterday morning found the body of a man. The body was handed over to Taiwanese rescuers.
The SEF sent a letter yesterday to its Chinese counterpart, the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS, 海協會) to thank China for its help.
Chinese President Jiang Zemin (
"I am deeply concerned over the heavy loss of life and property from a China Airlines crash. Compatriots across the Strait are our brethren," state television quoted Jiang as saying.
"I express my profound condolences to victims from Taiwan, Hong Kong, the mainland and other victims and extend my sincere sympathy to relatives of victims" Jiang said.
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