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SEF pans Beijing pressure

Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) Chairman Hung Chi-chang (洪奇昌) called yesterday for China to respect the wishes of Taiwanese businessmen operating in China and refrain from harassing them over approaching elections.

Hung made the appeal in a year-end news conference at the SEF, a quasi-official body set up to handle cross-strait exchanges in the absence of formal ties between the two sides of the strait.

Hung said that a Taiwanese business group in China -- called the "All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots" -- was planning to hold a meeting in Wuhan on Jan. 6 to show support for the presidential ticket of the Chinese Nationalist Party's (KMT) Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and Vincent Siew (蕭萬長).

Hung said the government was concerned about the move as it was believed to be an attempt by Beijing to try to sway the Jan. 12 legislative and March 22 presidential elections.

In addition to the meeting in Wuhan, similar activities were being planned around the rest of China prior to the elections, he said.

Hung said Beijing was trying to pressure Taiwanese businessmen on their election choices.

SEF Secretary-General Michael You (游盈隆) said Beijing's interference in the elections would be regarded as interference by a foreign force.

"China should address squarely the fact that there are separate nations on each sides of the Taiwan Strait and refrain from pressuring Taiwanese businessmen," You said.

He said it was "unjust and unfair" to the Taiwanese businessmen who had made great contributions to China's economic growth. Meanwhile, You announced that in March the SEF would open a service center for Chinese nationals who find themselves in difficulty whilst they are in Taiwan.

You said that such mechanisms had been in use for many years, but in view of the possible opening of the nation to Chinese tourists next year, cross-strait exchanges would increase, creating a need for the mechanism to be expanded.
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