Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Chairman Joseph Wu (
Wu made the remarks in an interview with the Central News Agency.
Earlier, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Ting Shou-chung (
PHOTO: CHIEN JUNG-FONG, TAIPEI TIMES
During a question-and-answer session at the legislature Hsueh said that he is not opposed to regular chartered flights.
In the CNA interview, Wu said that Taiwan had engaged in negotiations with Beijing and had taken steps to deal with security concerns before giving the green light to the holiday flights in 2004 and again this year.
Because of these preparations, Taiwan did not have to worry about invisible threats to the nation's security, he said.
If regular direct flights were to be inaugurated, the government would first have to work out its security plans based on an assessment report on direct air links, he said.
Wu also clarified his willingness to visit China, saying that he would go as the council chairman and as long as no "political preconditions" were set.
Wu made the remarks during the Home and Nations Committee question-and-answer session after legislators asked whether it was possible for the two sides not to have any preconditions.
Wu sought to clarify comments he made on Sunday, when he said he would accept an invitation to visit China if there were no preconditions. Wu said that he meant "political `one China' preconditions."
However, Taiwan does have preconditions, he said -- sovereignty, democracy, peace and equality -- adding that he would only visit China under these principles.
Wu said he would only accept an invitation from China's central government, not from a local government or civic group.
He also said that he would insist on going as a government official and not as an academic, although he said on Sunday that he did not care whether he visited China as head of the council or not.
During the question and answer session, Wu said that the resignation of C.V. Chen (
Pan-blue legislators said Chen resigned because his ideas and suggestions were neglected by the foundation for years.
Wu said that he hoped Chen would reconsider staying on, since he was one of the foundation's founders.
Chen did not make an appearance at the session, although legislators had hoped that he would.
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