The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) expressed hope yesterday that China will renegotiate the Olympic torch relay route as soon as possible out of consideration for "the peace and freedom of the Olympic Games."
The nation's top China policy planning agency made clear its stance in a written statement.
"As long as China expresses sincerity in a substantive way and proposes a solution, we are willing to coordinate with China as soon as possible," it said.
"Although China has said openly that it is willing to negotiate with us, it has yet to put it into practice," the statement said.
The statement also said that the government "has always insisted that it will safeguard Taiwan's sovereignty. If there is negotiation with China on the torch relay for the 2008 Olympic Games, the talks must be held under the principles of safeguarding the nation's sovereignty, dignity and cross-strait parity."
MAC Chairman Chen Ming-tong (陳明通), in an interview with Hong Kong media last week, also said that Taiwan was willing to renegotiate the torch relay route with China so long as Taiwan's national status is respected.
Taiwan wants the torch to come to Taipei via a third country and travel on to another country before arriving in China.
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