The Taiwan Affairs Office statement contains seven guidelines regarding cross-strait interactions, which local reporters labelled Chinese President Hu Jiantao's (胡錦濤) "seven points," as opposed to former Chinese president Jiang Zemin's (江澤民) declaration of "Jiang's eight points" on Taiwan nine years ago.
"If you look closely at the opening paragraphs of the Taiwan Affairs Office statement, you find it places more emphasis on curbing Taiwan's independence than on pushing for unification with China," the lawmaker said.
The seven guidelines will immediately come into effect if Taiwan would accept the "one China" principle, said the statement.
The first and second guideline call for both sides to reopen dialogue, end mutual hostility, establish a military cooperation mechanism and build a peace and stability framework.
According to the anonymous lawmaker, these points correspond to the two questions posed in Taiwan's first national referendum on March 20.
"Compared with `Jiang's eight points,' Hu's guidelines show more flexibility and pragmatism. The last guideline even mentions Beijing's intention to help Taiwan obtain the proper international space by allowing it to join international organizations," the lawmaker said.
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) yesterday made no official comment in response to Beijing's announcement.
Meanwhile, incoming MAC Chairman Joseph Wu (吳釗燮), who is currently deputy director-general of the Presidential Office, and Vice Chairman Chiu Tai-san (邱太三), a Democratic Progressive Party legislator, held a tea party for reporters to share their thoughts about challenges posed by their new posts.
Both refuted the Chinese media's claims that they were separatists.
In response to a question whether he was in favor of Taiwanese independence, Wu stressed that he is a "very pragmatic" man.
Chiu said trade should be one of the council's main priorities.
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