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Visit already a success

(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-11-04 07:50

The visit of Chen Yunlin, mainland's top envoy to Taiwan, will give Taiwan separatists a heavy blow, says an article in Hong Kong's Oriental Daily. The following is an excerpt:

Chen Yunlin, president of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), is going to sign some economic and trade agreements during his on-going trip to the island.

Chen's visit will be beneficial to Ma Ying-jeou, Taiwan's "president", and his administration, and those agreements, like gifts from the Chinese mainland, will also benefit Taiwan.

The mainland has held an active attitude towards Chen's visit. Chen has been determined to go. As long as Chen has stepped on the soil of this island, it will mark a milestone in the process of peaceful development of cross-Straits relations.

During the reign of Chen Shui-bian and the DPP, the exchanges between the SEF and the ARATS were interrupted and the visit by Chen Yunlin at that time was impossible. Chen Shui-bian knew clearly that the exchanges between the two bodies are based on the 1992 Consensus with its major content being the one-China principle, which advocates reunification.

The Taiwan separatists will live a more difficult life and have fewer supporters if the economic and trade relations across the Straits develop on the basis of the Consensus. That's why Chen and the DPP forcefully oppose the ARATS chief's visit .

However, with the end of the DPP's reign in Taiwan in 2008, their opposition has been invalid. The talks between the two organizations are gathering momentum and the people are waiting for the cross-Straits economic and trade opportunities to rescue Taiwan's economy from its 8-year slump.

In the past months, as a result, the SEF and the ARATS have been in close contact, already achieving some fruits. That has angered the DPP and Taiwan separatists. They have resorted to old tricks like protests, street fighting and even violent actions to hamper Chen's visit.

As a result, surrounding Chen's visit to Taiwan is the political fight between those for and against Taiwan independence. For the mainland, as long as Chen can set foot on the island, hold the meeting, sign agreements and safely return, it's already a victory.

(China Daily 11/04/2008 page8)