The government said yesterday that it will invite China to negotiate direct transport links within a matter of weeks.
"Once the amendments to the Statute Governing the Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (兩岸人民關係條例) have been approved by the Legislative Yuan -- and the [Mainland Affairs Council's] evaluation of direct links has been finalized toward the end of November -- we will bring our negotiation mechanism into play," Vice Chairman of the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Chen Ming-tong (陳明通) said at a news conference yesterday.
"The two sides will first have to discuss procedural issues such as the composition of negotiating teams and the form and location of negotiations," he added.
Chen declined to say how the invitation would be issued, but added, "We will show our attitude in an appropriate way and will not rule out any possibility."
China, which refuses to negotiate with the Taiwan government until the latter recognizes its "one China" principle, responded warmly Wednesday to a cross-party call by Taiwan legislators for charter flights from Taiwan to Shanghai for next year's Lunar New Year holiday.
It said it would favor such flights as long as Taiwan was represented in negotiations on the matter by civil organizations rather than the government and as long as Taiwan agreed to allow Chinese airlines to provide some of the flights.
During discussions on amendments to the statute in the Legislative Yuan yesterday, Chen Ming-tong said that the government would "study the possibility of inviting China to negotiate" transport links
On Thursday President Chen Shui-bian (
Chen Ming-tong said yesterday that the government considers direct links with China in the context of globalization and as being beneficial to both Taiwan and China.
The legislature approved at first reading Thursday a raft of amendments to the statute proposed by the Cabinet to make "opening the rule, prohibition the exception" in terms of links. Seven proposed amendments were reserved for reconsideration.
Central to the government's strategy is the authorization -- approved Thursday -- of non-profit and charitable organizations to conduct negotiations with China.
Under pressure from legislators, the MAC announced last month that it was evaluating how best to implement the so-called "three links" -- direct transport, postal and trade links -- with China.
While Chen Ming-tong was speaking yesterday, more than 10 pan-green lawmakers led by the DPP's Trong Chai (
TSU legislative whip Lin Chih-lung (
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