VZCZCXRO1868
OO RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #1695 1211106
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 301106Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7022
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS BEIJING 001695
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL ETRD ECON KOLY CH TW
SUBJECT: APRIL 30 TAO PRESS BRIEFING: MAC CHAIRPERSON-DESIGNATE,
ARATS-SEF AND KMT-CCP CHANNELS, 1992 CONSENSUS
Summary
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1. Key points at the April 30 Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) press
briefing were:
-- China does not have a position on Chairperson-designate Lai
Shin-yuan's suitability as head of Taiwan's Mainland Affairs
Council.
-- Discussions in both the ARATS-SEF and KMT-CCP channels are
useful.
-- Asked repeatedly whether Hu's April 29 statement regarding
"shelving disputes" (gezhi zhengyi) meant China is prepared to
accept Taiwan's version of "one China, multiple definitions," the
TAO spokesperson merely said, "the resumption of the cross-Strait
consultations should be on the foundation of the 1992 consensus."
End Summary.
No Opinion on Lai Shin-yuan as Chairperson-designate of Mainland
Affairs Council
--------------------------------------------- -------
2. At the April 30 regular Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) press
briefing, TAO spokesman Li Weiyi refused to offer an opinion on Lai
Shin-yuan as Chairperson-designate of Taiwan's Mainland Affairs
Council (MAC). Li said China was more concerned with the future of
cross-Strait relations and that the people of China and Taiwan are
most concerned with resuming negotiations and beginning weekend
charter flights. Neither the Chinese nor the people of Taiwan want
to see "someone disturb this process," said Li. China has not
received any requests from Lai to visit the Mainland.
3. Asked about reports that Deputy Chairman of the KMT and
Chairman-designate of the Strait Exchange Foundation (SEF) Chiang
Pin-kung will not be visiting China on May 25, Li referred reporters
to Chiang's statements saying that media reports about the trip were
not accurate in the first place.
ARATS-SEF and KMT-CCP Channels Both Useful
------------------------------------------
4. Asked to clarify China's position on the division of labor
between KMT-CCP talks and discussions in the Association for
Relations Across Taiwan Straits (ARATS)-SEF channel, Li responded by
emphasizing the importance of both. Li said that if resumed on the
basis of the 1992 consensus, the ARATS-SEF mechanism set up in 1993
by Wang Daohan and Koo Chen-fu is a "pragmatic method to resolve the
cross-Strait issue and advance and develop cross-Strait relations."
Regarding the KMT-CCP mechanism, Li said it has played a positive
role in the past resolving various issues and will continue to play
an "active role" in the future. Li said he "personally believed"
that an ARATS meeting "could be expected," but he did not have any
specific information to relate. China hopes for the early
resumption of the ARATS-SEF talks on the basis of the 1992
consensus, Li reiterated.
Visit of Lien Chan to China
---------------------------
5. Regarding the meeting between Lien Chan and Hu Jintao on April
29, Li said both parties share a common wish to push forward the
peaceful development of relations. Asked repeatedly whether Hu's
April 29 statement regarding "shelving disputes" (gezhi zhengyi)
meant that China was prepared to accept Taiwan's version of "one
China, multiple definitions," Li responded by merely saying, "our
position is that the resumption of the cross-Strait consultations
should be on the foundation of the 1992 consensus."
6. Li said financial issues such as currency exchange did not come
up during Lien's visit. Li also confirmed that Lien has been
invited to attend the Olympic games in Beijing.
Taiwan Funded Enterprises, Real Estate Exchange, KMT Chairman Wu
Po-hsiung Visit
--------------------------------------------- ------
7. Li said that TAO would study measures to upgrade services for
Taiwan funded enterprises on the mainland. The Jiangxi Provincial
TAO will hold a seminar for Taiwan funded enterprises and industrial
transformation in May. Li clarified the name and purpose of the
"Mainland and Hong Kong Real Estate Entrepreneurs Delegation to
Taiwan," which works to promote cross-Strait real estate exchanges.
Finally, Li said that China welcomes KMT Chairman Wu Po-hsiung to
visit the Mainland.