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Lien departs for Beijing forum

Former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairman Lien Chan (連戰) left Taiwan for China yesterday for the third Cross-Strait Economic and Cultural Forum in Beijing at the end of this month, where he will meet Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) for the third time.

When approached by reporters at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport yesterday, Lien refused to comment on his goals for the trip or what he and Hu would talk about.

KMT Chairman Wu Po-hsiung (吳伯雄), who saw Lien off at the airport, told the media that the KMT would "do more and talk less" and pursue harmony within the party, as "no matter what we say, it will raise sensitive [issues]."

The KMT's Mainland Affairs Division director Chang Jung-kung (張榮恭), meanwhile, said that the forum, scheduled for April 28 and 29, would touch on issues such as opening Taiwan up to Chinese tourists, direct air and sea transportation and cross-strait cooperation on education.

Chang on Sunday denied that Lien would sign a cross-strait peace accord with Hu, saying only that Lien would like to promote economic transparency between the two sides.

"During this trip, Lien will distance the KMT from the Democratic Progressive Party's [DPP] pro-independence approach by showing that the KMT will fight for [cross-strait] peace. [The KMT] will offer the Taiwanese people a different option," Chang said on Sunday.

During Lien's trip to China in 2005, he signed a five-point "peace agreement" with Hu.

In addition to attending the forum, Lien will also visit Henan, Tianjin and Zhengzhou, and pray to his ancestors in Shenyang, Chang said.

KMT legislative whip Tseng Yung-chuan (曾永權) said on Sunday that the party would send a delegation of 28 lawmakers to participate in the forum preliminaries on April 27.

KMT Legislator Kuo Su-chun (郭素春) said that although 58 KMT legislators have expressed willingness to attend the forum, the party caucus would select 28 delegates by drawing lots.

When asked for comments, Taiwan Solidarity Union Spokeswoman Chiang Yueh-chin (蔣月琴) said that cross-strait policies should be negotiated on a state-to-state basis.

"We do not think Lien's visit will result in any positive contribution to Taiwan's economic development. We're afraid that [his visit to China] will have more disadvantages than advantages to the nation," she said.

She added that Lien was in no position to sign any cross-strait peace agreements.
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