An official from China's Association for Relations Across the
Taiwan Strait (ARATS) expressed regret on Monday that the
Taiwan-based Strait Exchange Foundation (SEF) recently turned down
a donation from the Chinese mainland for fighting
SARS.
According to the official, since the severe acute respiratory
syndrome (SARS) situation in Taiwan is still serious, the patriotic
mainlanders are greatly concerned.
The Red Cross Society of China on May 12 sent a letter to the
Taiwan Red Cross organization, conveying deep concern over Taiwan's
situation and offering medical equipment for fighting SARS.
On
May 13, the Taiwan Red Cross sent a letter turning down the offer,
but some Taiwan-based non-governmental organizations kept in
contact with their mainland counterparts, still hoping to secure
the donation.
On
May 21, ARATS received a letter from SEF in Taiwan that expressed
appreciation for the mainland people from all walks of life for
their offer of help and promised to handle the donation from the
mainland.
On
the basis of this letter, ARATS, on behalf of all mainland circles,
decided on May 23 to donate 200,000 suits of protective dresses and
gloves, 100,000 surgical masks and five ambulances to Taiwan's
severely-hit SARS areas, including Taipei and Kaohisiung.
On
May 24, a staff member of SEF called ARATS, saying that every
detail for receiving the donation was settled. That same night,
ARATS rapidly arranged a special plane for the donation and staff
from the customs and quarantine offices all cleared the way for the
donation transportation.
However, at the noon on May 25, Taiwan authorities suddenly went
back on their words and incited SEF to turn down the first batch of
the donation, disregarding the need of Taiwan people.
The ARATS official pointed out that during the process of fighting
SARS on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, the mainland people take
Taiwan's urgent need as their own and actively donate medical
goods, embodying the brotherly sincerity.
Every righteous person could sense the justice in what the mainland
people have done, he said, noting that despite the political
divergence between the two sides across the Taiwan Strait during
the past years, the brotherly affection could not be resisted by
any political force.
The "Taiwan Independence" advocates who only considered their own
political interest but ignored the health of Taiwan people will by
no means succeed, he stressed.
The official finally noted that ARATS as well as the mainland
people will continue to take the Taiwanese needs as their own and
offer all kinds of supports to Taiwanese non-governmental
organizations.
(Xinhua News Agency May 26, 2003)