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Pan-blue camp mulls blocking links changes

"Both parties are concerned the amendments to the `small three links' regulations may affect next year's presidential election."

An anonymous `heavyweight' lawmaker in the pan-blue camp

Opposition lawmakers may block planned regulatory changes to the "small three links" to prevent President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) from taking credit for his performance on cross-strait relations, officials said yesterday.

Election considerations have affected the planned amendments to the Statute Governing the Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (兩岸人民關係條例), as they have many other issues.

The "small three links" are one of the most controversial parts of the amendments to the statute, which the legislature is slated to vote on this week.

A Chinese-language newspaper quoted a "heavyweight" lawmaker with the pan-blue camp yesterday as saying the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the People First Party (PFP) may stall the amendments.

"Decision-making bodies in both parties are concerned the amendments to the `small three links' regulations may affect next year's presidential election," the lawmaker told the newspaper.

In negotiations, the Cabinet and the opposition parties had been debating whether ships, aircraft and other transportation means should get government authorization to travel to China.

The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), which drew up the draft amendments for the Cabinet, proposed that all means of transportation require government approval to travel to China.

The blue camp, which originally objected to the proposal, has relaxed its stance and given conditional approval to the policy.

"Most of our lawmakers would agree to pass the proposal if the MAC promises to produce implementation details within a year," KMT Legislator Apollo Chen (陳學聖) said.

Chen said the purpose of setting up the time frame is to prevent the council from being lazy.

"We didn't mean to make the MAC feel strained. If the KMT and PFP win next year's presidential election, we will also have to abide by the time frame," Chen said.

Council Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) refused to accept the condition, according to Chen.

Describing the past few weeks' negotiations on the links between the government and opposition lawmakers, Chen said even opposition lawmakers split about how to handle the issue.

"Some said amending the regulations would not help Taiwan's relations with China because they believe Chen Shui-bian is not sincere in improving cross-strait relations," Apollo Chen said.

Opposition lawmakers are worried that amending the regulations will only give Chen Shui-bian more cards in handling relations with China to boost his popularity ahead of the election, Apollo Chen said.

Negotiations on amendments to regulations regarding the issuing of national identification cards to Chinese spouses also experienced twists and turns.

Chinese spouses launched a protest against the council's proposal to extend the period they must wait for the identification cards from eight to 11 years. They are planning another protest outside the legislature tomorrow.
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