VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBJA #9407 2561140
ZNR UUUUU ZZH ZUI RUEWMCF7933 2561137
O 131140Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0000
INFO CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS BEIJING 019407 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL CH TW
SUBJECT: SEPTEMBER 13 TAO PRESS BRIEFING: REACTION TO 
ANTI-CHEN PROTESTS, TAIWAN'S UN BID, AGRICULTURE FORUM 
MOVED TO MAINLAND, CROSS-STRAIT TOURISM, 2008 OLYMPICS 
 
 
¶1.  KEY POINTS MADE AT THE SEPTEMBER 13 TAIWAN AFFAIRS 
OFFICE (TAO) PRESS BRIEFING WERE: 
 
-- THE MAINLAND HOPES TO SEE A STABLE AND PROSPEROUS TAIWAN 
AND WILL OPPOSE TAIWAN INDEPENDENCE AND PROMOTE CROSS- 
STRAIT RELATIONS TO FURTHER PEACE AND STABILITY (IN 
RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN TO OUST CHEN SHUI- 
BIAN). 
 
-- THE UN HAS REJECTED "FUTILE" ATTEMPTS BY TAIWAN TO GAIN 
REPRESENTATION IN THE UN. 
 
-- THE MAINLAND CONTINUES TO OPPOSE "SO-CALLED 
CONSTITUTIONAL REVISIONS" THAT PROMOTE TAIWAN'S DE JURE 
INDEPENDENCE. 
 
-- THE KMT-SPONSORED CROSS-STRAIT AGRICULTURAL COOPERATION 
FORUM PLANNED FOR OCTOBER WILL NOW BE HELD ON THE MAINLAND 
FROM OCTOBER 17-21. 
 
-- TAIWAN BUSINESSES ARE INVOLVED IN OLYMPIC PROJECTS AND 
CHINA WILL CONSIDER REQUESTS FROM TAIWAN COMPATRIOTS TO 
PARTICIPATE IN OLYMPIC-RELATED EVENTS. 
 
CAMPAIGN TO OUST CHEN SHUI-BIAN 
------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  TAIWAN AFFAIRS OFFICE (TAO) SPOKESPERSON LI WEIYI 
DEFLECTED QUESTIONS REGARDING THE CAMPAIGN IN TAIWAN TO 
OUST CHEN SHUI-BIAN, NOTING THAT THE TAO IS MONITORING 
REPORTS IN THE TAIWAN MEDIA.  ASKED IF CHINA WOULD INVOKE 
THE "ANTI-SECESSION LAW" IN RESPONDING TO THE CAMPAIGN, LI 
SAID THAT THE MAINLAND HOPES FOR TAIWAN TO ENJOY A STABLE 
SOCIETY, STABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND A PEACEFUL AND 
HAPPY LIFE.  WE DO NOT WANT TO SEE UNFORTUNATE EVENTS OCCUR 
IN TAIWAN AND WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH TAIWAN COMPATRIOTS 
IN FIRMLY OPPOSING TAIWAN INDEPENDENCE, MAINTAINING PEACE 
AND STABILITY IN THE TAIWAN STRAITS, AND PROMOTING CROSS- 
STRAIT RELATIONS IN THE DIRECTION OF PEACE AND STABILITY, 
HE SAID. 
 
FAILED BID FOR UN REPRESENTATION 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶3. LI SAID THE "FUTILE ATTEMPT" BY TAIWAN'S LOCAL LEADER TO 
GAIN UNITED NATIONS REPRESENTATION UNDER THE NAME "TAIWAN" 
IS A NEW, DANGEROUS STEP AND "FURTHER EXPOSES SINISTER 
ATTEMPTS TO PUSH THE SPLITTIST MOVEMENT OF TAIWAN 
INDEPENDENCE."  SUCH ATTEMPTS GO AGAINST UN GENERAL 
ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION 2758 AND ARE DESTINED TO FAILURE.  LI 
SAID THIS IS 14TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR IN WHICH THE UN HAS 
REJECTED SUCH PROPOSALS, HE COMMENTED, WHICH CONFIRMS THAT 
THE UNITED NATIONS AND THE VAST MAJORITY OF MEMBER 
COUNTRIES BELIEVE THERE IS ONLY ONE CHINA, AND THAT TAIWAN 
IS A PART OF CHINA. 
 
PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL REVISIONS 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶4. REGARDING PROPOSED REVISIONS TO TAIWAN'S CONSTITUTION, 
LI SAID THAT CHINAS POSITION IS CONSISTENT AND CLEAR AND 
IS FIRMLY AGAINST THE "SO-CALLED CONSTITUTIONAL REVISIONS" 
BY TAIWANS AUTHORITIES PROMOTING "DE JURE INDEPENDENCE." 
 
XINHUA REGULATIONS ON FOREIGN NEWS AGENCIES 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  LI SAID THE PURPOSE OF THE NEW XINHUA REGULATIONS ON 
DISTRIBUTION OF SERVICES FROM FOREIGN NEWS AGENCIES IS TO 
"FURTHER NORMALIZE THE ORDER OF INFORMATION DISSEMINATION." 
IT IS ALSO TO MAINTAIN A HEALTHY, ORDERLY ENVIRONMENT TO 
PROTECT VARIOUS PARTIES' INTERESTS AND PROTECT INTELLECTUAL 
PROPERTY RIGHTS.  HE NOTED THAT CROSS-STRAIT INFORMATION 
EXCHANGE AND COOPERATION WOULD PROCEED MORE SMOOTHLY. 
 
CROSS-STRAIT AGRICULTURAL COOPERATION 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶6. THE CCP ACCEPTED THE KMT'S SUGGESTION TO MOVE THE CROSS- 
STRAIT AGRICULTURE COOPERATION FORUM TO THE MAINLAND, AFTER 
FAILING TO CONVENE THE FORUM IN TAIPEI AS PLANNED, LI SAID. 
THE FORUM AGENDA WILL NOW INCLUDE A CROSS-STRAIT 
AGRICULTURE COOPERATION FORUM ON HAINAN ISLAND (OCTOBER 17- 
18), AN EXHIBITION PROMOTING THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF 
COOPERATION IN AGRICULTURE IN XIAMEN (OCTOBER 19-20) AND AN 
INSPECTION OF CROSS-STRAIT AGRICULTURE COOPERATION 
EXPERIMENTAL ZONES IN VARIOUS PROVINCES (BEGINNING OCTOBER 
21).  LI COMMENTED THAT THIS WOULD BE A LARGE-SCALE SERIES 
OF CROSS-STRAIT COOPERATIVE ACTIVITIES. 
 
 
MOVED TO MAINLAND, CROSS-STRAIT TOURISM, 2008 OLYMPICS 
 
CROSS-STRAIT TOURISM 
-------------------- 
 
¶7. IN RESPONSE TO A QUESTION ON MAINLAND TOURIST TRAVEL TO 
TAIWAN, LI SAID THAT TAO DIRECTOR CHEN YUNLIN ADDRESSED 
THIS ISSUE IN REMARKS MADE FOLLOWING MEETINGS WITH KMT 
REPRESENTATIVE TSENG YUNG-CHUAN ON SEPTEMBER 7TH.  WHEN AN 
APPROPRIATE CIVILIAN ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN SET UP TO DEAL 
WITH SUCH MATTERS, THE MAINLAND WILL EXTEND AN INVITATION 
TO THIS ORGANIZATION TO DISCUSS MAINLAND TOURISM TO TAIWAN. 
THE VENUE FOR SUCH TALKS COULD BE MAINLAND CHINA, TAIWAN, 
HONG KONG OR MACAO. 
 
CROSS-STRAIT TRADE 
------------------ 
 
¶8. LI SAID A TAIWAN MEDIA REPORT STATING THAT CHINA IS NOT 
WILLING TO DISCUSS THE ISSUE OF TAIWAN'S OPENING TO IMPORTS 
FROM THE MAINLAND WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE WTO IS 
INACCURATE.  THERE ARE MANY TRADE PROBLEMS BETWEEN THE TWO 
SIDES OF THE TAIWAN STRAIT BECAUSE OF ARTIFICIAL BARRIERS 
CREATED BY THE TAIWAN AUTHORITIES, LI SAID.  TAIWAN'S 
DISCRIMINATORY RESTRICTIONS ARE THE MAJOR OBSTACLE TO 
CROSS-STRAIT TRADE.  IN RESPONSE TO A QUESTION ON FOREIGN 
EXCHANGE RATES, LI SAID CHINA IS WILLING TO CONDUCT 
DIALOGUE AND NEGOTIATIONS PROMOTING CROSS-STRAIT FINANCIAL 
COOPERATION.  IN RESPONSE TO A SEPARATE QUESTION, LI SAID 
THE MAINLAND HAD ADOPTED SOME POSITIVE MEASURES TO ASSIST 
TAIWAN AGRICULTURAL ENTERPRISES IN INVESTING IN THE 
MAINLAND. 
 
TAIWAN PARTICIPATION IN 2008 OLYMPICS 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶9. WHEN ASKED BY CCTV IF TAIWAN BUSINESSES WERE INVOLVED IN 
OLYMPIC PROJECTS, LI RESPONDED THAT SOME TAIWAN BUSINESSES, 
SUCH AS THE TONGYI GROUP, ARE ALREADY PARTICIPATING IN 
OLYMPIC PROJECTS.  IN THE FUTURE, THERE WILL BE MORE 
NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN THE OLYMPIC ORGANIZING COMMITTEE AND 
TAIWAN BUSINESSES.  IN RESPONSE TO A QUESTION ABOUT THE 
OLYMPIC TORCH PASSING THROUGH TAIWAN EN ROUTE TO BEIJING, 
LI SAID THAT CHINA WILL CONSIDER REQUESTS FROM TAIWAN 
COMPATRIOTS TO SHARE IN CHINA'S HAPPINESS IN HOSTING THE 
OLYMPICS.  THE TRAVEL ROUTE OF THE TORCH MUST BE APPROVED 
BY THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE, HE STATED. 
 
TAIWAN TOURISTS KILLED IN TRAFFIC ACCIDENT 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶10. LI LED THE BRIEFING WITH A STATEMENT ABOUT A SEPTEMBER 
11 TRAFFIC ACCIDENT IN JILIN, IN WHICH TWO TOURISTS FROM 
TAIWAN WERE KILLED.  THE STATEMENT STRESSED THE RAPID 
RESPONSE OF LOCAL AUTHORITIES TO THE ACCIDENT AND THE 
CAREFUL ATTENTION PAID TO THE WELFARE OF THE 20 TAIWAN 
TOURISTS WHO WERE INVOLVED IN THE CRASH.  THE ASSOCIATION 
FOR RELATIONS ACROSS THE TAIWAN STRAITS (ARATS) HAS BEEN 
WORKING WITH THE RELEVANT DEPARTMENTS TO ASSIST WITH 
NECESSARY FORMALITIES, LI NOTED. 
RANDT