President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) recent statements discouraging Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators from visiting China should not be viewed as indicative of the government's overall policy on cross-strait communications, Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Vice Chairman Huang Wei-feng (黃偉峰) said at a press conference yesterday.
On Thursday, Chen said, "Some legislators are proposing visits to China, but I think there is presently no need for further communication ... between Taiwan and China."
After that statement, five Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers who had scheduled a visit to China to attend an economics forum called off their trip.
Asked to comment on Chen's statement, Huang said, "His remarks were aimed at DPP legislators. Each party must consider on its own whether or not to visit China."
Saying that regulations on party-to-party communication across the Strait had not changed, Huang said the President's words should not be "over-interpreted" as applying to other parties besides the DPP.
The leaders of the New Party (新黨), are currently visiting China, following on the heels of visits in April and May by KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) and People First Party Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜).
New Party Chairman Yok Mu-ming (郁慕明) said his party's trip aimed to underscore Taiwan's historic ties with China and commemorate the 60th anniversary of China's defeat of invading Japanese troops during World War II.
The MAC will not take a position on each party's trips to China, and will not become involved in a party's internal decision-making, Huang said.
In related news, Huang declined to comment on discussions between a plan-blue delegation to China and Chinese officials on exporting Taiwanese produce.
A pan-blue legislator who is part of the delegation yesterday proposed a plan to expedite procedures for transporting Taiwanese produce.
Tseng Yung-chuan (曾永權), executive director of the KMT's Central Policy Committee and the leader of the agricultural promotional delegation visiting Beijing, made the proposal during a meeting at the Diaoyutais Guest House with officials from China's Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO).
Tseng suggested that direct charter flights be set up to transport Taiwanese produce to Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, and that fast-track customs services be put in place to deal with the imports.
KMT spokesman Chang Jung-kung (張榮恭) was upbeat on the discussions in Beijing. Chang said that the TAO had reaffirmed its intention to eliminate tariffs on imports of 15 types of Taiwanese fruits, but that it also repeated its preference to negotiate the details with the Taiwan Provincial Farmers' Association rather than the Taiwan External Trade and Development Council (TAITRA).
TAITRA is the only group that has authorization from the Taiwanese government to conduct negotiations on fruit exports.
The pan-blue delegation was scheduled to return to Taiwan at 11:45pm last night.
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