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KMT officials head to China for talks on economic ties

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung (吳伯雄) yesterday promised to protect Taiwan’s national interests during the fourth KMT-Chinese Communist Party (CCP) economic forum scheduled for today and tomorrow in Shanghai.

“These discussions will benefit both sides of the Taiwan Strait. We will pursue Taiwan’s national interest during the forum,” Wu said at Taipei Taoyuan International Airport before his departure.

Wu and a 140-member delegation left for Shanghai yesterday morning.

The forum will address cross-strait cooperation in the financial and service sectors, cross-strait investment and institutionalization of economic exchanges, he said.

Wu said that the forum was unofficial and that the five government officials participating had taken leave to attend the forum.

The five were Council for Economic Planning and Development Vice Chairman San Gee (單驥), director-general of the Financial Supervisory Commission’s banking bureau, Chang Ming-daw (張明道), Civil Aeronautics Administration Director-General Lee Long-wen (李龍文), Tourism Bureau Director-General Janice Lai (賴瑟珍) and Berton Chiu (邱柏青), director-general of the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ investment department.

Wu said he also invited Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) members to attend the forum, but none accepted his invitation.

The forum was initiated by former KMT chairman Lien Chan (連戰) and Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) when the two met in 2005. The first forum was held in 2006.

Lien arrived in China earlier this month and will host the forum.

Lien, who served as President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) envoy to the APEC meeting in Peru last month, said he discussed Taiwan’s participation in the World Health Assembly with Hu when the two met in Lima.

The issue is expected to be raised again this weekend.
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