Chinese mainland scholars say KMT Chairman Lien Chan's mainland visit will
benefit relations across the Taiwan Straits and urge the Taiwan authorities to
support the move.
"Lien's visit opens a new channel for cross-Straits dialogue, namely direct
dialogue between top leaders of political parties on both sides," said Huang
Jiashu, professor of the Beijing-based People's University.
"The visit will facilitate mutual understanding between the two parties and
the people on both sides of the Straits," he said.
The delegation of the Kuomintang (KMT) party led by Lien Chan will visit the
mainland from April 26 to May 3 at the invitation of the Communist Party of
China (CPC) Central Committee and its General Secretary Hu Jintao.
Huang said although the KMT is not the ruling party in Taiwan, it holds a
considerable number of seats in the "legislature" of Taiwan and rules some
counties and cities. It is an important political force in Taiwan.
"Therefore, if the dialogue between the CPC and the KMT produces consensus in
principle about concerns of the Taiwan compatriots, it will surely help to ease
and promote cross-Straits relations," Huang said.
He urged the Taiwan authorities to approve content of any possible consensus
that would benefit the Taiwan compatriots and use executive power to push
forward the implementation.
"If the Taiwan authorities controlled by the Democratic Progressive Party
DPP) could positively and pragmatically seek to ease and develop the
cross-Straits relations, they will also win scores from the people on both sides
of the Straits," said Huang.
He said mainland visits by the KMT and the coming visit by the People First
Party (PFP) have met with approval of the majority ofthe Taiwan compatriots and
public opinions in the world.
"This shows the easing and developing of the cross-Straits relations conform
with the interests of Taiwan, the Taiwan people and expectations of the
international community," said Huang.
"The DPP should ponder seriously which path Taiwan should pursue. I hope it
will choose a new road other than 'Taiwan independence'," Huang said.
Xu Bodong, director of the Taiwan Research Institute under the Beijing Union
University, said Lien Chan's visit is a major event in relations between the CPC
and the KMT and also a major event inthe cross-Straits relations.
"The people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits will benefit from their joint
efforts to work for peace across the Taiwan Straits," said Xu. "They will turn a
new page in inter-party relations and cross-Straits
relations."
