Taiwan legislative speaker favours flexible opening toward China

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Text of report in English by Taiwanese Central News Agency website

Taipei, 1 January: Although President Chen Shui-bian has the final say in arbitrating the government's cross-Taiwan Strait policy, Legislative Yuan Speak Wang Jin-pyng said Monday that Taiwan should be flexible in opening to China to help give a boost to Taiwan companies.

Wang, a heavyweight of the main opposition Kuomintang (KMT), made the remarks while answering questions from reporters after President Chen Shui-bian said earlier the same day in his New Year's Day address that there is nothing wrong with Taiwan's current cross-strait policy that centres on \"Taiwan first\" and \"Taiwan identity\" concepts.

Chen also denied that there is a so-called \"modified\" approach being adopted by Premier Su Tseng-chang in Taiwan's dealings with China - something Mainland Affairs Council Chairman Joseph Wu said was dreamed up by local media outlets.

Despite the fact that the president is in full charge of the country's China policy, Wang contended, however, that Taiwan should be more open to China when necessary for Taiwan's own business interests. He also hailed past openings initiated by Taiwan to China that have helped Taiwan companies gain a new lease on life.

Tseng Yung-chuan, a KMT lawmaker and executive director of the party's Policy Coordination Committee, said that he would agree to Chen's remarks that there is no so-called \"Su's modified approach\" so long as the nation's leaders - Chen and Su - realize that China links are key to Taiwan's economic prosperity.

The government's policy should be effective enough to heed the nation's problems and it should stop playing word games to really help improve the people's livelihoods, Tseng said.

Meanwhile, figures in the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) also had mixed responses to Chen's claim that there is no \"Su's modified approach\" regarding Taiwan's engagements with China.

According to DPP lawmaker Lee Chun-i, Chen's such rhetoric should be an effort to have the DPP administration re-centre on his \"Taiwan first\" basic policy line.

But Lee denied widespread speculation that Chen was hinting that Su might be replaced due to alleged tension simmering between the two as a result of their different approaches towards China.

The president should be attempting to pressure the Cabinet to stick to his China policy during the final more than one year of his second tenure, Lee explained, pointing out that tension could surge between Chen and Su if Su does seek to walk his own path to boost his chances in the 2008 presidential election.

Lee Wen-chung, a former lawmaker of the DPP's now dissolved powerful New Tide Faction, said that the government should forge a China policy that would best serve Taiwan's interest, although cross-strait economics are closely related to politics.

He also blasted speculation that relations between Chen and Su have worsened.

Daniel Huang, a lawmaker of the opposition People First Party, said he believes that Chen - a \"lame duck\" with only a little over one year left in office, is expected to gradually loosen his standing towards China to help pay off his past errors in cross-strait relations.

Pressure from pro-independence forces demanding that Chen not open further to China should have no impact on the president, who cannot seek a third term, Huang claimed.

Source: Central News Agency website, Taipei, in English 1105 gmt 1 Jan 07