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CROSS-STRAIT TALKS: Lien lauds ‘historic visit’ amid pro-Taiwan fervor

“I will not stop protesting against Chen Yunlin until he apologizes to the Taiwanese people.”

— Wu Pao-yu, former DPP Taoyuan County councilor

Former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairman Lien Chan (連戰) last night hosted a banquet in honor of Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS) Chairman Chen Yunlin (陳雲林), saying Chen’s historic visit would establish a systematic channel for cross-strait negotiations.

Outside the hotel, about 100 independence supporters, including former presidential adviser Ellen Huang (黃越綏) and former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Taoyuan County councilor Wu Pao-yu (吳寶玉), protested against Chen’s visit.

Huang, who carried China’s five-star national flag while condemning local police for protecting Chen, fainted as protesters were surrounded by police.

The police called an ambulance and Huang was rushed to a nearby hospital.

Minutes before Chen arrived, Wu had blocked the hotel’s driveway with her car and shouted at the police.

“I will not stop protesting against Chen Yunlin until he apologizes to the Taiwanese people,” Wu said before driving away.

Amid the scuffle with police, Taipei City Councilor Hung Chien-yi (洪健益) of the DPP fell to the ground and was dragged away by police.

Lien, who has developed a personal friendship with Chen after his frequent visits to China since 2005, described Chen and members of the Chinese delegation as “old friends” in a speech at the banquet held at the Ambassador Hotel in Taipei.

Lien was the first KMT heavyweight Chen met during his visit to Taiwan this week.

Lien lauded Chen’s meeting with Chiang, saying the signing of agreements on food safety, direct air and shipping links and direct postal services strengthened the foundation of mutual trust across the Taiwan Strait and promoted a peaceful cross-strait relationship.

He said he expected ARATS and the SEF to continue their efforts.

Chen thanked Lien for initiating cross-strait exchanges by traveling to China in 2005 to meet Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤), and said Taiwan was an island with endless creativity and vitality.

“The two sides of the Taiwan Strait finally ended the deadlock and resumed talks that were suspended years ago. We must continue walking down this path more steadily than ever,” Chen said.

Lien presented Chen with a painting by a local artist and Taiwanese food including pineapple cakes and sun cakes. In return, Chen presented Lien with Maotai liquor (茅臺酒) and Chinese red dates.

As Chen and Chinese delegates enjoyed the banquet on the second floor of the hotel, protesters started to gather outside at about 8pm, blocking streets outside the hotel.

Hundreds of police officers, some holding shields, failed to persuade the protesters to leave, and physical clashes ensued.

The scuffle resulted in traffic around the intersection of Zhongshan N Road and Changan W Road becoming jammed.

“I was hit by the police,” “The police are protecting Chinese communists and violating the rights of Taiwanese people!” protesters shouted as they jostled with the police in the street.

The police later entered a record store near the hotel and forced the store, which was playing ­Taiwanese patriotic songs, to silence the music and close its doors.

The protest did not affect Chen Yunlin, who left the hotel before 9pm and returned to the Grand Hotel.

Chen is scheduled to meet KMT Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung (吳伯雄) and People First Party Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) today.

The guests at the banquet included Straits Exchange Foundation Chairman Chiang Pin-kung (江丙坤), Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平), Vice Speaker Tseng Yung-chuan (曾永權), KMT Vice Chairman Lin Fong-cheng (林豐正), former premier Hau Pei-tsun (郝柏村) and his son, Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌).

Dozens of KMT legislators, including John Chiang (蔣孝嚴) and Lai Shyi-bao (賴士葆), and business tycoons Morris Chang (張忠謀), founding chairman of Taiwan Semiconductor, and Hon Hai Group (鴻海) chairman Terry Gou (郭台銘) also attended the banquet.
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