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China bars MAC officials, DPP legislative aides

"On one hand, China allows KMT and PFP legislative assistants to visit China to attend seminars; on the other hand, it rules out DPP legislative assistants and MAC officials. They are barring the DPP on purpose."

Chiu-Yeong-jen, DPP legislator

Two Taiwanese officials will be denied entry into China and nine DPP legislative assistants will be barred from attending seminars held in Beijing in the wake of President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) "one country on each side" remarks last Saturday, a DPP lawmaker said yesterday.

DPP Legislator Chiu Yeong-jen (邱永仁) held a news conference yesterday to accuse China of obstructing Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) officials and DPP legislative assistants from getting involved in exchanges with China while KMT and PFP legislative assistants are allowed to do so.

A delegation composed of about 30 cross-party legislative assistants and two MAC officials is scheduled to leave for China next Monday. But a notification from China on Aug 7 stated that Beijing will not allow MAC officials to enter the country.

Although the nine DPP legislative assistants will be allowed to enter China, they will not be allowed to participate in seminars organized for the delegation, Chiu said.

The two MAC officials are the director of the council's department of information and liaison, Chen Chung Hong (陳崇弘) and his subordinate, Huang Hsiu-man (黃秀嫚), a section head.

"Chen's remarks indicate that he wants to push Taiwan toward independence. It is now impossible for DPP legislative assistants to participate in any official activities in China," Chiu quoted an official of China's Taiwan Affairs Office as saying.

Asked by reporters how he knew of the official's remark, Chiu said that he has his own channels of communication with China, but declined to elaborate.

"On one hand, China allows KMT and PFP legislative assistants to visit China to attend seminars; on the other hand, it rules out DPP legislative assistants and MAC officials. They are barring the DPP on purpose," he said.

Because of Beijing's action, Chiu said some of the DPP aides have decided to stay home while others will go as scheduled.

In response, MAC Vice Chairman Jonathan Liu (劉德勳) told a news briefing yesterday that China has overreacted to Chen's remarks.

"I believe they [China authorities] have sufficient information to understand his remarks. Our China policy remains unchanged. Such reactions are unnecessary," Liu said.

"It is a bad demonstration to Taiwan nationals for China to divide the Taiwanese people by their political affiliations," he said.

Earlier this year Chinese Vice Premier Qian Qichen (錢其琛) said he welcomed DPP members who wanted to visit China as long as they did so in the "appropriate official capacity."

Liu pointed out that similar trips involving senior DPP legislative assistants have been organized in the past.

He added, "Such division will make the Chinese lose opportunities to better understand Taiwan's democracy."

Meanwhile, the Director of Straits Exchange Foundation's (SEF) Department of Planning and Information Service, Lin Chao-tsan (林昭燦), said only exchanges can promote understanding on the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.

"Both sides of the Strait should open their minds to make exchanges go smoothly. Taiwan welcomes Chinese nationals to Taiwan. We hope China can treat Taiwan the same way," Lin said.

During their trip in China, the delegates will visit the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation, Taiwan Affairs Office, Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait and some Taiwanese affairs research institutions.
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