Taipei rejects Beijing’s three ‘gifts’ in effect

Taipei turned down in effect all three gifts Beijing presented to Taiwan yesterday, though President Chen Shui-bian, now on a state visit to Kiribati, seems to accept conditionally one of them, a pair of giant pandas.

Chen Yunlin, head of the Taiwan Office of the State Council, announced in Shanghai in the morning China’s decision to present the giant pandas, let Chinese tourists visit Taiwan, and allow more produce imports from the island, almost all of them tariff free.

The three presents, intended to show “goodwill” on the eve of Kuomintang chairman Lien Chan’s departure from Shanghai, were rejected by the government and the ruling Democratic Progressive Party as symbols of China’s united front campaign against Taiwan.

Lien, who started his weeklong China visit on April 26, returned to Taipei in the afternoon.

The rejection, however, was not a clear-cut one.

Vice President Annette Lu said the giant pandas should be accepted as a gift from a China that opens diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Otherwise, she added, the present should be turned down.

Cho Jung-tai, spokesman for the Cabinet, described the pandas as “animals without a party affiliation,” hinting that they should not be a gift to the Kuomintang.

“Besides,” Cho said, “our acceptance depends on if everything is legally all right and if Taiwan is capable of keeping them.

“If both conditions are met, we may start negotiating this matter (the acceptance of the pandas).”

Regarding the Chinese tourists, the Cabinet spokesman said Taipei may consider if private organizations can be authorized to negotiate with Chinese authorities.

Currently, Taiwan admits only those Chinese who have abode abroad and those on business from a third country. Official negotiation is necessary to let all Chinese tourists visit Taiwan.

“We need a series of new regulations to control produce exports to China,” Cho said. The government has to regulate the quantities of produce to be exported and how they should be shipped.

It takes time to lay down the rules, and no produce exports are possible in the near future.

Officials of the Mainland Affairs Council condemned the Chinese decision as a united front gimmick.

Please see GIFTS on page

“Should something go wrong (after Taiwan accepts the gifts), who would have to be responsible for controlling the damage?” asked one MAC official, who requested anonymity.

As the decision-making Cabinet agency, the MAC has to take responsibility.

“The other side,” another MAC official said, “lacks sincerity in offering the gifts.” He cited the exemption of tariffs on produce exports to China as an example to show the lack of sincerity on the part of Beijing.

Those exports are worth less than US$7.5 million, accounting for less than one percent of Taiwan’s total fruit and vegetable sales to China, the MAC official said.

On the other hand, fruit growers and tourist agents are champing at the bit to improve their sales as quickly as possible.

Yu Ying-lung, MAC vice chairman, said official negotiation is necessary before any of the three gifts are accepted, while the ruling Democratic Progressive Party inserted ads in major newspapers warning the public of the giant pandas as a sort of the Trojan horse.

“It’s nothing but part of China’s united front campaign,” said a DPP spokesman.

On the other hand, many farmers’ associations are ready to organize sales promotion missions to tour China, while Tseng Sheng-hai, president of the National Federation of Tourist Agents, is scheduled to go with James Soong, chairman of the People First Party, on the latter’s visit to the mainland between May 5 and 12.

Tseng said he would begin negotiation, with or without government authorization.

People of Taipei look forward to the arrival of the giant pandas. A giant panda house is under construction at the Taipei city zoo. It is expected to be opened early next year.

1|2|Next Page>>

SHARE CLOSE
Blogger		Google+
Live Journal		Plurk
Stumble Upon

Tweet

Write a Comment

Terms

Enter your comments - 3000 characters max

Type in image code

 Receive China Post promos
 Respond to this email

Submit