Wed, Apr 27, 2005 page3

• Beijing pinning its hopes of isolating Chen on Lien's visit

  • AFP
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  China is trying to undermine President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) while seeking to improve its image by welcoming Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) on a landmark visit yesterday, analysts said.

  The visit by Lien comes with relations between Beijing and Taipei at a virtual standstill with Chen showing no signs of backing down from his independence leanings since being re-elected last year.

  In addition to laying out the welcome mat for Lien, China has also invited People First Party Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) to visit at a later date.

  "It's a way of pushing Chen into a corner," said Gilles Guiheux, director of the French Centre for Research on Contemporary China in Hong Kong.

  "They're trying to say `how come we can have a dialogue with all these other political parties but only this bad guy refuses to talk?'" Guiheux said.

  Experts, however, said Lien's trip signals more of a shift in Taiwanese politics than a warming in cross-strait ties.

  "Beijing has all along tried to draw Taiwanese political parties to its side. What's changed is that now these opposition parties are willing to come," said Timothy Wong (王家英), a Taiwan relations expert at the Chinese University in Hong Kong.

  Opposition leaders previously shied away from stepping foot in China to avoid appearing to kowtow to Beijing, but now see political benefits in trying to mitigate tensions between the two sides, analysts said.

  "The KMT's main purpose for coming here is to promote itself ahead of elections," said Wu Nengyuan (吳能遠), director of the Institute of Modern Taiwan Studies at China's Fujian Academy of Social Science.

  "The KMT feels that if it can be seen as improving relations with China, then it can get support and recognition from Taiwanese people," Wu said.

  No concrete progress, however, is expected.

  Chen and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) initially opposed Lien's visit, accusing the KMT of being a "communist propaganda tool," especially after Beijing passed an "Anti-Secession" Law last month.

  However Chen later reversed his position, reportedly following pressure from Washington, but warned Lien against signing any agreements with Beijing without Taipei's official approval.

  Both the Chinese Communist Party and KMT will capitalize on the historical significance of the visit -- the highest level fence-mending effort between two parties which were previously bitter enemies, analysts said.

  Through the visit, Beijing will try to woo Taiwanese people and remind them of the benefits of accepting China's stance that Taiwan belongs to China and should be unified.

  It will discuss with Lien potential preferential treatment for Taiwan, such as tariff-free imports for farmers who want to sell produce and flowers to China.

  They will also likely discuss the possibility of having direct chartered cargo flights to help Taiwanese investors in China speed up shipments and the possibility of allowing Chinese tourists to visit Taiwan.

  Beijing will also use the visit to show it is doing its part to achieve what they call "peaceful reunification," analysts said.

  It suffered widespread condemnation after passing the Anti-Secession Law.

  "This visit is to confirm they're willing to resolve the issue through peaceful means," Guiheux said.

  At the very least, Beijing hopes it will weaken Chen and the pro-independence forces.

  "If Lien Chan and James Soong can come to mainland China and can really bring peace and stability while the other side only makes the situation worse, then Taiwanese people will clearly see which side is better," Wu said.
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