VZCZCXRO1868
OO RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #1695 1211106
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 301106Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7022
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS BEIJING 001695 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL ETRD ECON KOLY CH TW
SUBJECT: APRIL 30 TAO PRESS BRIEFING: MAC CHAIRPERSON-DESIGNATE, 
ARATS-SEF AND KMT-CCP CHANNELS, 1992 CONSENSUS 
 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1. Key points at the April 30 Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) press 
briefing were: 
 
-- China does not have a position on Chairperson-designate Lai 
Shin-yuan's suitability as head of Taiwan's Mainland Affairs 
Council. 
 
-- Discussions in both the ARATS-SEF and KMT-CCP channels are 
useful. 
 
-- Asked repeatedly whether Hu's April 29 statement regarding 
"shelving disputes" (gezhi zhengyi) meant China is prepared to 
accept Taiwan's version of "one China, multiple definitions," the 
TAO spokesperson merely said, "the resumption of the cross-Strait 
consultations should be on the foundation of the 1992 consensus." 
 
End Summary. 
 
No Opinion on Lai Shin-yuan as Chairperson-designate of Mainland 
Affairs Council 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶2.  At the April 30 regular Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) press 
briefing, TAO spokesman Li Weiyi refused to offer an opinion on Lai 
Shin-yuan as Chairperson-designate of Taiwan's Mainland Affairs 
Council (MAC).  Li said China was more concerned with the future of 
cross-Strait relations and that the people of China and Taiwan are 
most concerned with resuming negotiations and beginning weekend 
charter flights.  Neither the Chinese nor the people of Taiwan want 
to see "someone disturb this process," said Li.  China has not 
received any requests from Lai to visit the Mainland. 
 
¶3. Asked about reports that Deputy Chairman of the KMT and 
Chairman-designate of the Strait Exchange Foundation (SEF) Chiang 
Pin-kung will not be visiting China on May 25, Li referred reporters 
to Chiang's statements saying that media reports about the trip were 
not accurate in the first place. 
 
ARATS-SEF and KMT-CCP Channels Both Useful 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶4.  Asked to clarify China's position on the division of labor 
between KMT-CCP talks and discussions in the Association for 
Relations Across Taiwan Straits (ARATS)-SEF channel, Li responded by 
emphasizing the importance of both.  Li said that if resumed on the 
basis of the 1992 consensus, the ARATS-SEF mechanism set up in 1993 
by Wang Daohan and Koo Chen-fu is a "pragmatic method to resolve the 
cross-Strait issue and advance and develop cross-Strait relations." 
Regarding the KMT-CCP mechanism, Li said it has played a positive 
role in the past resolving various issues and will continue to play 
an "active role" in the future.  Li said he "personally believed" 
that an ARATS meeting "could be expected," but he did not have any 
specific information to relate.  China hopes for the early 
resumption of the ARATS-SEF talks on the basis of the 1992 
consensus, Li reiterated. 
 
Visit of Lien Chan to China 
--------------------------- 
 
¶5. Regarding the meeting between Lien Chan and Hu Jintao on April 
29, Li said both parties share a common wish to push forward the 
peaceful development of relations.  Asked repeatedly whether Hu's 
April 29 statement regarding "shelving disputes" (gezhi zhengyi) 
meant that China was prepared to accept Taiwan's version of "one 
China, multiple definitions," Li responded by merely saying, "our 
position is that the resumption of the cross-Strait consultations 
should be on the foundation of the 1992 consensus." 
 
¶6. Li said financial issues such as currency exchange did not come 
up during Lien's visit.  Li also confirmed that Lien has been 
invited to attend the Olympic games in Beijing. 
 
Taiwan Funded Enterprises, Real Estate Exchange, KMT Chairman Wu 
Po-hsiung Visit 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶7. Li said that TAO would study measures to upgrade services for 
Taiwan funded enterprises on the mainland.  The Jiangxi Provincial 
TAO will hold a seminar for Taiwan funded enterprises and industrial 
transformation in May.  Li clarified the name and purpose of the 
"Mainland and Hong Kong Real Estate Entrepreneurs Delegation to 
Taiwan," which works to promote cross-Strait real estate exchanges. 
Finally, Li said that China welcomes KMT Chairman Wu Po-hsiung to 
visit the Mainland.