VZCZCXRO9396
OO RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #1450/01 1071003
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 161003Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6577
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 001450 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL ETRD ECON KOLY CH TW
SUBJECT: APRIL 16 TAO PRESS BRIEFING: HU-SIEW MEETING, DIRECT 
FLIGHTS, CROSS-STRAIT TOURISM, 1992 CONSENSUS, POSSIBLE CROSS-STRAIT 
VISITS, TIBET, PERSONNEL, MORE 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1. Key points at the April 16 Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) press 
briefings were: 
 
-- The April 12 Hu-Siew meeting has "very important significance" 
for the improvement of cross-Strait relations under "new 
circumstances" (xin xingshi) and the promotion of cross-Strait 
economic cooperation. 
 
-- President Hu said that "an important, historical opportunity" has 
emerged in cross-Strait relations and in these "new circumstances," 
regular direct and charter flights across the Strait will begin as 
soon as possible. 
 
-- China advocates a return to "relevant cross-Strait negotiations" 
based on the 1992 Consensus. 
 
-- Li had no information regarding the identity of the new head of 
the Mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait 
(ARATS), nor did Li have any news on "further arrangements" for a 
possible visit from the chairman-designate of Taiwan's Straits 
Exchange Foundation (SEF), P.K. Chiang. 
 
-- While there is no "difference" in the territorial sovereignty 
aspect of China's stance on the Tibet and Taiwan issues, the issues 
stem from different historical causes and realities and thus require 
different handling, said Li.  End Summary. 
 
Hu-Siew Meeting, cross-Strait Tourism, Direct Flights 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
¶2.  At the April 16 regular Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) press 
briefing, TAO spokesman Li Weiyi stated that President Hu Jintao's 
April 12 meeting with Taiwan VP-elect Vincent Siew bears "very 
important significance" for the improvement of cross-Strait 
relations under "new circumstances" (xin xingshi) and the promotion 
of cross-Strait economic cooperation.  Li pointed out that domestic 
and foreign reactions to the meeting were positive, and the meeting 
received a "high degree of affirmation" from "all circles of 
Taiwan." 
 
¶3.  During the meeting, President Hu said that "an important, 
historical opportunity" has emerged in cross-Strait relations and 
cross-Strait economic development and that the two sides will "work 
hard together, create conditions (chuangzao tiaojian) and actively 
push forward," said Li when asked for comment on Ma Ying-jeou's 
assertion that regular weekend charter flights between the Mainland 
and Taiwan would begin July 4.  Li told reporters that Hu's 
statement "pertains to cross-Strait charter and direct flights."  As 
long as the two sides work hard together on this issue, the TAO 
believes that in the "new state of affairs" regular direct and 
charter flights across the Strait will be begin as soon as possible. 
 
 
¶4.  Li repeated the above statements referring to the Hu-Siew 
meeting when asked if the ARATS and the SEF will carry out 
negotiations on charter flights and cross-Strait tourism, adding 
that the "corresponding groundwork" and "conditions" have been 
"already completed."  A reporter asked if this answer meant that 
after May 20 (the date of Ma Ying-jeou's inauguration as President 
of Taiwan) the "groundwork" would be "completed."  Li avoided 
answering the question. 
 
Can Discuss Anything on Basis of 1992 Consensus 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶5.  In a return to cross-Strait negotiations on equal footing on the 
basis of the 1992 Consensus, any topic can be discussed, said Li 
when asked if the two sides could possibly discuss political issues 
in addition to economic ones.  Asked if the Mainland's 
interpretation (biaoshu) of the 1992 Consensus had changed since 
last year, Li stated that the Mainland's position is "very clear: We 
advocate a return to relevant cross-Strait negotiations on the basis 
of the 1992 Consensus." 
 
New ARATS, SEF Chiefs, DPP officials to Visit Mainland? 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
¶6.  Li had no information regarding the identity of the new head of 
the Mainland's ARATS.  Li did not have any news on "further 
arrangements" for a possible visit from SEF chairman-designate P.K. 
Chiang, when asked if Chiang might meet with TAO Director Chen 
Yunlin during a visit to the Mainland.  China welcomes the "vast 
majority" of DPP members to visit the Mainland under the 
"appropriate titles," said Li when asked if China would allow visits 
from DPP county- and municipal-level mayors.  Li added that many DPP 
members have already visited the Mainland. 
 
Different Treatment of Tibet and Taiwan Issues? 
 
BEIJING 00001450  002 OF 002 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶7.  Responding to a Voice of America reporter's question regarding 
the different "attitudes" toward Tibet and Taiwan, both of which are 
called "inseparable parts" of Chinese territory, the spokesman said 
he did not understand the her use of the term "different attitudes." 
 There is no "difference" in China's clear stance on protecting the 
completeness of China's territorial sovereignty, Li stated. 
However, the problems of these two places stem from different 
historical causes and realities, thus requiring that they be handled 
differently, he added. 
 
Olympics, Ministry of Justice Exam, Pandas, Personnel, Economic 
Cooperation, Mainland Investment in Taiwan 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
¶8.  The spokesman also took questions on the ability of Taiwan 
athletes and fans to attend the Beijing Olympic Games, the 
possibility of changing the names of two Pandas identified as 
pending gifts to Taiwan (their names, put together, mean 
"reunification"), prospects for the further development of 
cross-Strait economic cooperation and Mainland investment in Taiwan. 
 Ding Li of the Ministry of Justice introduced preparations for 
opening Ministry of Justice examinations to Taiwan lawyers and other 
residents.  Li had no news to offer when asked about Taiwan media 
reports that Minister of Commerce Chen Deming and Yang Hui of the 
PLA General Staff Headquarters have joined the CCP Central Committee 
Leading Group on Taiwan Affairs.