The Straits Exchange Foundation will continue to act as the government's only official avenue of communication with China, Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), chairwoman of the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), said yesterday.
Tsai made the comments yesterday to dismiss speculation that a newly formed think-tank could eventually become the foundation's substitute.
On Monday, KMT Vice Chairman Vincent Siew (蕭萬長) launched the Cross-Strait Common Market Foundation (兩岸共同基金會), a group organized to promote economic exchange with China with an eye toward political integration.
Tsai also said yesterday that the government would continue to have the final say on whether former government officials are allowed to visit China.
"Communication between the Straits Exchange Foundation and China's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait [ARATS] has been maintained for almost 10 years, and the operation has proved to be exceptional," Tsai said.
"So far the government has no plans to substitute the role played by the foundation -- the appointed body to deal with trade and economic interchanges with China -- with the recently established organization."
Tsai's comments came as the media speculated yesterday that Siew's "common market" group might take over from the Straits Exchange Foundation in the handling of cross-strait matters.
An official from the Cross-Strait Common Market Foundation told the Taipei Times yesterday that such fears were unfounded, as the goal of the association was to serve as a non-official think-tank to try and seek consensus among the public concerning cross-strait issues.
"We do not intend to supersede any other existing organizations," the representative said.
As for the government's stance on Siew's intention to visit China as the president of the Common Market Foundation, Tsai said government authorities would keep an open mind. She also noted that the visit must be approved by the government in accordance with the law.
"The executive body basically has an open mind on visits to China by former officials. However, in accordance with the law, there are regulations to prohibit these officials from going without permission," Tsai said. "The Mainland Affairs Council will evaluate the feasibility of each request contingent upon the stated purpose of the visit."
Siew, a former premier and minister of economic affairs, drew intense media attention with his comment on Monday that he would like to visit China as the head of the newly formed foundation. Siew also has said that he would not rule out the possibility of meeting with Chinese President Jiang Zemin (
Nonetheless, whether or not he will be able to go will be governed by the Law Governing Taiwanese Entry into China, which states that within the first three years of leaving office former officials must receive approval from the government before going to China.
In related news, the MAC has been speeding up the amendment of laws to relax restrictions imposed upon visits to China made by government officials, in an effort to respond to increasing requests by those who are interested in going.
One of the most prominent cases is that of Kaohsiung Mayor and DPP Chairman Frank Hsieh (謝長廷), who is still waiting for permission from the MAC for a planned visit to China next month.
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