MAC reiterates four requests for 2008 torch relay

Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) spokesman Johnnason Liu (劉德勳) on Saturday restated the council's stance on the 2008 Olympic torch relay, denying reports that he had said the torch, if it passes through Taiwan, should not travel directly between Taiwan and Hong Kong or Macau.

In a statement carried on the BBC's Chinese-language Web site on Saturday, Liu rebutted reports that he said at a news conference on Friday that the Olympic torch must enter Taiwan from a location other than Hong Kong or Macau and depart from Taiwan to another location other than Hong Kong or Macau.

Liu said in the BBC online report that he had been "misquoted" by a Chinese-language Web site, which claimed that Liu had listed "four major conditions" for the Olympic torch to pass through Taiwan.

Liu said he had informed the news conference last Friday of the MAC's four "requests" regarding the possibility that the relay could include Taiwan. He said the four "requests" were only requests and should not be interpreted as "conditions."

He then restated the four requests: that the torch be handled in accordance with the protocol of the International Olympic Committee (IOC); that China seek Taiwan's permission to have the 2008 Olympic torch pass through Taiwan; that China guarantee Taiwan's sovereignty will not be belittled or compromised in connection to the relay; and that the relay be a move conducive to constructive interaction between Taiwan and China.

Elaborating on the third request, Liu said that Taiwan was an independent "sports entity" of the the IOC and had taken part in Olympic competitions under the title of "Chinese Taipei" for years.

He said that China had stubbornly insisted on calling Taiwan "China, Taipei," adding that this was unacceptable to Taiwan and its athletes.

Liu called again on China to address Taiwan with the title that had been traditionally used by the IOC.

Liu stressed that as a member of the IOC, Taiwan would be proud to be part of the 2008 Olympic torch relay and would cooperate with the IOC in this regard in accordance with IOC traditions and formalities.

Presidential Secretary-General Chiou I-jen (邱義仁) said last Tuesday that Taiwan would definitely reject a plan for the 2008 Olympic torch relay to pass through Hong Kong or Xiamen in Fujian Province on its way to or from Taiwan.

Chiou said the route would belittle Taiwan by implying that it was a province of China.