Speaking in Singapore yesterday, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan (
While at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy yesterday, Lien spoke about the KMT's position on cross-strait relations, criticizing the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration for Taiwan's economic situation.
The security of the Taiwan Strait and peace between China and Taiwan are issues which all the people in the world are concerned about, making the need for cross-strait exchange and dialogue beyond question, Lien said.
COMMON HOPE
The common hope of both Taiwan and China is to pursue high standards of living and high-quality living environments; as a result, it is obvious that the countries need peaceful exchanges and to avoid armed confrontation, Lien added.
A focus of media attention yesterday was whether or not Lien would be secretly meeting with representatives of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) while in Singapore, which the KMT denied Saturday.
Chinese-language media had speculated Saturday that Lien might meet with representatives of the CCP during a dinner banquet hosted by former prime minister Lee Kuan Yew (
STATEMENTS
In a statement released Saturday night, KMT Spokesman Chang Jung-kung (張榮恭) said that no such meetings been arranged from the Singaporean side. Furthermore, Chang said, Lien has no need for such a meeting given that the KMT is openly arranging his trip to China and meetings there with high-ranking leaders.
According to the KMT, during his two-day stay in Singapore, Lien also visited the Sun Yat-sen Nanyang Memorial Hall (
Meanwhile, speaking in reaction to recent comments by President Chen Shui-bian (
Referring to the last talks between the KMT and the CCP in 1945, Chen said Saturday that in 1945, the KMT lost China. If Lien goes to talk to China today, Chen asked Saturday, will we also lose Taiwan?
While in Ilan, Ma said that the president should not have said such comments.
"Opposition parties do not have the ability to `sell out Taiwan,' only the ruling party has that ability, because opposition parties do not have administrative power, only a mouth [to speak out]. Lien Chan is bravely walking forward. If he can create a catalyst for peace across the strait, then President Chen should finish the process with a heart full of joy," Ma said yesterday.
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