JUNE 13 TAO PRESS BRIEFING: UN MEMBERSHIP

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 003974

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL ETRD ECON CH TW
SUBJECT: JUNE 13 TAO PRESS BRIEFING: UN MEMBERSHIP
REFERENDUM, "SECOND REPUBLIC" IDEAS, CROSS-STRAIT CRIME

COOPERATION, DIRECT LINKS, TAIWAN ENTERPRISES

Summary
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1. Key points at the June 13 Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO)
press briefing were:

-- The spokesman began the briefing with a strong
condemnation Chen Shui-bian's referendum on joining the UN
under the name "Taiwan."

-- Yang denied knowledge of a case of a Taiwan fugitive
reportedly in Guangzhou and ignored a second question
regarding another fugitive on the Mainland, a question which
was omitted from the on-line transcript.

-- Beijing agreed to an Olympic torch route that conformed
strictly to the Olympic Charter and the rules of the
International Olympic Committee. End summary.

Condemnation of "Referendum" on UN Membership
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2. At the opening of the June 13 regular TAO press briefing,
spokesman Yang Yi expressed the Mainland's strong opposition
to Chen Shui-bian's "referendum" on joining the UN under the
name "Taiwan," calling the move a serious step toward "de
jure independence," which seeks to deceive the Taiwan masses
and obtain fraudulent votes in order to realize this attempt
at separatism. Chen's aim is to provoke a cross-Strait
conflict, which could endanger the peace and stability of the
Asia-Pacific region. Yang expressed the TAO's grave concern
and intention to never allow "Taiwan separatist" forces to
split Taiwan from China under any name or by any means.


3. Yang also bashed the "Second Republic Constitution" and
"one country on each side" proposals as part of Chen
Shui-bian's "conspiracies" to separate Taiwan from China,
when asked for comment on Mainland Affairs Council (MAC)
Chairman Chen Ming-tong's reported wish to seek the TAO's
opinions on his draft "Second Republic Constitution". Asked
for comment on today's media reports that Chen Ming-tong
visited the Mainland in 2005 as a "scholar" to hold
discussions with high-level government members, Yang said he
did not know anything about the matter.

Olympic Torch: "Third Party Location" Arrangement?
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4. The spokesman had not heard of a so-called "Third Party
Location" arrangement mentioned by a reporter as a
consideration for the Olympic torch route, but emphasized
that Beijing released a route in strict accordance with the
Olympic Charter and the rules of the International Olympic
Committee. Yang expressed the Mainland's hopes to exclude
political interference in the matter and implement the
consensus already reached by the two sides.

Opportunity for Fresh Cross-Strait Consultations?
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5. Yang reiterated that the Mainland welcomes any individual
who recognizes the "1992 consensus" and the "one-China
principle" to visit the Mainland, regardless of party or
government affiliations or previous behavior, when asked
about Mainland scholar Huang Jiashu's assertion that a new
opportunity for cross-Strait negotiations could arise if the
DPP recognized Taiwanese people were Chinese.

Cross-Strait Fugitives
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6. Yang said he knew nothing about the murder case of Taipei
County Councilor Wu Shan-jeou, after a reporter asked about
cross-Strait cooperation in arresting a suspect in Guangzhou.
The spokesman completely ignored the second question---which
was also omitted from the Chinese on-line transcript---on the
case of a Taiwan fugitive living on the Mainland named Wang
Yongqing, who the reporter claimed recently held a public
book-signing event. The reporter also noted that TAO
Director Chen Yunlin had written a prologue to Wang's book.

Ma Ying-jeou Promotes Cross-Strait Transportation
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7. The TAO hopes for direct cross-Strait links to be
established as soon as possible, when asked about Taiwan
media reports that Ma Ying-jeou will make the issue a
priority if elected in 2008.

TAO Encourages Taiwan Enterprises on the Mainland
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8. Asked about Taiwan media reports that the Mainland is
requiring Taiwan subsidiary companies to sever ties with its
parent companies in Taiwan, Yang stated that the Mainland
promotes the expansion of financial channels for Taiwan
enterprises and encourages them to enter the Mainland market
under the appropriate conditions. Yang noted there are
already seven Taiwan enterprises in the Mainland's "A stock
market," and that there is no special policy toward those
enterprises currently going through the approval process.
RANDT