APRIL 30 TAO PRESS BRIEFING: MAC CHAIRPERSON-DESIGNATE,

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 -------------- ¶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.