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Lien Chan, chairman of Taiwan's main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) party,
is expected to lead a delegation to make an historic visit to the Chinese
mainland starting from April 30, KMT spokeswoman Cheng Li-wen said on
Thursday.
Lien is expected to meet Hu Jintao, General Secretary of the Communist
Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, in Beijing during his week-long
peace trip. A joint press conference after the meeting is also being
arranged, chinataiwan.org reported Friday, quoting Taiwan media reports.
Lien will leave for the mainland on April 30 and is expected to receive
the "highest treatment" from Beijing.
Lien will also visit Nanjing, Shanghai and Xi'an, the spokeswoman said.
However, Lin Feng-cheng, KMT secretary general,
said on Friday the reports are mere speculations
. As for when Lien's mainland trip would be
finalized, he said it could happen at the end of April, mid-May or late
May.
Lin Feng-cheng and KMT spokesman Chang Jung-kung returned from a visit
to the mainland late Thursday to prepare for the trip. They were in the
mainland to prepare for Lien's trip and would report their meetings with
mainland officials to Lien.
Beijing early in April extended an invitation to Lien while a KMT
delegation, led by vice chairman P.K. Chiang, was on the first
"bridge-building" trip to the mainland in more than 55 years.
Beijing said Wednesday it expects Lien Chan's planned mainland visit to
help improve cross-Straits ties despite Taiwan authorities setting up
hurdles to block bilateral exchanges.
"We believe Chairman Lien's visit will be conducive to improving and
developing cross-Straits relations," said Li Weiyi, spokesman of the
Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council.
His comments at a regular press conference signalled the mainland's
latest efforts to push for dialogue with Taiwan's opposition parties.
Beijing has so far refused to talk with the ruling
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which enshrines
"independence" in its party
platform and rejects the one-China principle that both Taiwan and the
mainland belong to one and the same China.
Jia Qinglin, a Standing Committee member of the Political Bureau of the
Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, officially invited Lien
to visit the mainland on March 31.
Lien accepted the invitation, which came during the KMT's first
official mainland visit in 56 years between March 28 and April 1. But he
has yet to timetable his visit.
Li stressed that the mainland is willing to negotiate with any
Taiwanese parties and organizations which uphold the "1992 consensus" and
oppose Taiwan "independence."
The "1992 consensus" refers to an informal agreement which commits both
sides of the Straits to adhering to the one-China principle.
(Chinadaily.com.cn) | 
Updated: 2005-04-15 14:32
