Vice President Annette Lu (
"It's totally inappropriate for religious figures to try to manipulate the government into opening a direct link with China for religious journeys, especially by claiming it is a decree from a goddess," Lu said. "The government's primary consideration has to be national security."
Lu said that it was too early for such a trip, which would represent the first possible legal direct journey of its kind between Taiwan and China, as the Beijing government still maintains a hostile attitude toward Taiwan.
Lu stressed that the Beijing leaders had yet to express any positive reaction to "Taiwan's goodwill, which has been delivered by the new President Chen Shui-bian (
"We should not talk about liberating the ban on direct links too early," Lu said, while attending a dragon boat race competition in Taoyuan County yesterday.
Lu was responding to comments made by Yen Ching-piao (顏清標), chairman of Taichung County's Chen Lan Temple (鎮瀾宮) organization.
On Sunday Yen said that worshippers of the sea goddess Matsu would make the first direct sea pilgrimage to Meizhou's Matsu Temple (
Yen, the Taichung County Council speaker, announced the auspicious date after throwing prophetic divining cups on the ground on June 4 in front of a crowd of local Matsu faithful.
Chen Lan Temple officials yesterday denied that they intended to manipulate the government, saying they would not lead believers into challenging the government's authority if permission to open the direct link was not granted.
"We guarantee that the temple organization will not lead pilgrims to break the law," said Cheng Ming-kun (
While avoiding a direct response to Lu's comments, Yen argued that religious links could help improve already tense cross-strait relations.
"Chinese officials have already given their permission to allow Taiwan's pilgrims to sail directly to Meizhou," Yen said, "we hope our government can support the sea pilgrimage also."
Yen urged the government to not politicize the issue.
"We hope the high-ranking officials concerned will be generous in this matter," Yen said, "then Matsu will bless them with continual promotions in their careers."
Legislators from the People First Party (PFP) echoed Yen's comments, urging the government to decide within a week whether or not to allow direct travel during the pilgrimage.
"The government should consider the needs of Taiwan's pilgrims, instead of always focusing on winning political battles," said PFP legislative caucus leader Chiu Chang-liang (
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) continued to stress yesterday that there was no timetable for the opening of direct links. "Religious links can be only regarded as a special case as well as a trial run of the government's future three-links policy," said Fu Don-cheng (傅棟成), director of the MAC's department of economic affairs.
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