Vice president-elect Vincent Siew (蕭萬長) met Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) yesterday afternoon in Hainan, an event hailed by the US as “the best way forward” for Taiwan and China.
The meeting, held on the sideline of the Boao Forum for Asia, made Siew the highest-ranking elected Taiwanese figure to come face-to-face with a Chinese leader since 1949. Siew attended the forum in his capacity as chairman of the Cross-Strait Common Market Foundation, a non-profit organization he founded.
During 20-minutes of talks, Su and Hu said they wanted closer economic ties. They sat side by side after shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries.
PHOTO: AP
Siew, who was accompanied by a 12-member Taiwanese delegation, said that closer economic relations between China and Taiwan would facilitate regional stability and improve the lives of ordinary Taiwanese and Chinese.
Siew expressed hope that Taiwan and China would set aside their disputes with pragmatism and work together to create a bright future that will see a win-win scenario.
“Economic development is the mutual expectation of people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait,” Siew told Hu, calling himself an “old soldier” of economic policy.
Hu said he looked forward to seeing the two sides pursue a consensus amid changing social and economic situations.
“I’d like to exchange ideas with Mr Siew on the issue of economic cooperation across the Taiwan Strait,” Hu said in televised remarks.
Both avoided politics in the live broadcast portions of their meeting.
A report by China Central Television (CCTV) later yesterday said that Hu also asked Siew to send his regards to president-elect Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung (吳伯雄) and former KMT chairman Lien Chan (連戰). CCTV did not refer to the trio’s titles in its report.
Siew, a veteran of the economic forum, has attended it since 2003 and met Hu there in the past. However, the meeting this time round took on much greater significance as Siew is now vice president-elect. He will assume office on May 20.
In a brief statement after his meeting with Hu yesterday, Siew said the meeting was “very frank, friendly and achieved results,” without elaborating.
During the meeting, Siew suggested “facing reality, inventing the future, putting aside controversy and seeking a win-win situation,” said KMT Legislator Su Chi (蘇起), a member of Siew’s delegation.
Siew suggested that direct cross-strait links could start with the implementation of weekend charter flights, Su said, adding that Siew also talked of opening Taiwan to Chinese tourists, normalizing cross-strait economic relations and trade, and reviving mechanisms for cross-strait negotiation.
Later last night, Chinese authorities issued a statement on the meeting in the form of a CCTV report.
“We will continue to push for cross-strait exchanges in areas such as economy and culture, continue to push for cross-strait weekend charter flights and negotiations on issues concerning visits by Chinese to Taiwan,” CCTV reported. “We will continue to care for the wellbeing of Taiwanese compatriots, safeguard the rights of Taiwanese compatriots and push for cross-strait negotiations.”
Asked to describe the atmosphere of the meeting with Hu, Su said: “Good chemistry, harmonious chemistry.”
“We’re basically trying to break ice that is eight years thick. We want to break the ice and usher in a new period in cross-strait relations with economics, trade and investment,” he said.
Yesterday morning, Siew met former Philippine president Fidel Ramos and was expected later to hold talks with former Australian prime minister Bob Hawke.
Commenting on the meeting between Siew and Hu, Lin Chong-pin (林中斌), former vice minister of defense and president of the Taipei-based Foundation on International and Cross-strait Studies, said “the visit signals in concrete terms a beginning of detente across the Strait. So far that [detente] has only been atmospheric,” he said.
The US has endorsed the meeting and other such cross-strait meetings as “the best way forward.”
US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte made the comment in response to questions by Taiwanese reporters after he made a speech on US-Asia relations in Washington on Friday.
Asked about the expected Siew-Hu meeting, Negroponte said: “We believe that the best way to settle differences over the Taiwan Strait is by peaceful means and we think that dialogue between the People’s Republic of China and the authorities, the leaders in Taiwan, is the best way forward.”
“So, yes, I would say that [a Siew-Hu meeting is] a good way forward,” he said.
Earlier, in a keynote address at a conference of the US Asia Pacific Council, the Washington arm of Hawaii’s East West Center, Negroponte said that the US is “committed to the resolution of any differences that may exist between China and Taiwan over [cross-strait issues] to be settled by peaceful means.”
He also said tthat Ma’s election would help advance cross-strait dialogue.
“We think that the recent election and the rejection of the referendums that were put forward actually opens up the possibility of a new dialogue between the PRC and the political leaders of Taiwan,” Negroponte said.
“So I emphasize to you our commitment to stability, our commitment to the resolution of these issues by peaceful means and our desire to see the dialogue take place as the best way to move forward,” he said.
The statements from Negroponte echoed and augmented those by US President George W. Bush, who, in his message of congratulations to Ma on his victory, called on both sides to engage in dialogue.
Bush gave the same message to Hu five days after the election, when he telephoned Hu and stressed the need for cross-strait talks.
This new emphasis on dialogue by the Bush administration seems to reflect a sense of relief in the administration at the defeat of the Democratic Progressive Party candidate Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) and the impending end of the presidency of Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), who has alienated the Bush administration over the years.
DEFENDING DEMOCRACY: Taiwan shares the same values as those that fought in WWII, and nations must unite to halt the expansion of a new authoritarian bloc, Lai said The government yesterday held a commemoration ceremony for Victory in Europe (V-E) Day, joining the rest of the world for the first time to mark the anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. Taiwan honoring V-E Day signifies “our growing connections with the international community,” President William Lai (賴清德) said at a reception in Taipei on the 80th anniversary of V-E Day. One of the major lessons of World War II is that “authoritarianism and aggression lead only to slaughter, tragedy and greater inequality,” Lai said. Even more importantly, the war also taught people that “those who cherish peace cannot
Taiwanese Olympic badminton men’s doubles gold medalist Wang Chi-lin (王齊麟) and his new partner, Chiu Hsiang-chieh (邱相榤), clinched the men’s doubles title at the Yonex Taipei Open yesterday, becoming the second Taiwanese team to win a title in the tournament. Ranked 19th in the world, the Taiwanese duo defeated Kang Min-hyuk and Ki Dong-ju of South Korea 21-18, 21-15 in a pulsating 43-minute final to clinch their first doubles title after teaming up last year. Wang, the men’s doubles gold medalist at the 2020 and 2024 Olympics, partnered with Chiu in August last year after the retirement of his teammate Lee Yang
The Philippines yesterday criticized a “high-risk” maneuver by a Chinese vessel near the disputed Scarborough Shoal (Huangyan Island, 黃岩島) in a rare incident involving warships from the two navies. The Scarborough Shoal — a triangular chain of reefs and rocks in the contested South China Sea — has been a flash point between the countries since China seized it from the Philippines in 2012. Taiwan also claims the shoal. Monday’s encounter took place approximately 11.8 nautical miles (22km) southeast” of the Scarborough Shoal, the Philippine military said, during ongoing US-Philippine military exercises that Beijing has criticized as destabilizing. “The Chinese frigate BN 554 was
The number of births in Taiwan fell to an all-time monthly low last month, while the population declined for the 16th consecutive month, Ministry of the Interior data released on Friday showed. The number of newborns totaled 8,684, which is 704 births fewer than in March and the lowest monthly figure on record, the ministry said. That is equivalent to roughly one baby born every five minutes and an annual crude birthrate of 4.52 per 1,000 people, the ministry added. Meanwhile, 17,205 deaths were recorded, resulting in a natural population decrease of 8,521, the data showed. More people are also leaving Taiwan, with net
RSS