Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian is reportedly scheduled to leave
Taipei on a chartered flight on August 29 and planning to stop in
Hawaii on his way to Panama. During his return flight on September
5, he is scheduled to stop in Seattle before heading home.
Prior to arranging this schedule, Chen reportedly sent Chiou I-jen,
secretary-general of Taiwan's "national security council" to
Washington to arrange for a stop in Chicago during Chen's trip to
the Central American countries of Panama and Belize in late
August.
He also reportedly asked to stop over in New York, Houston or
Miami.
The layover is "an excuse to conduct activities splitting China and
sabotaging China-US relations, a trick they have consistently been
using," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan on
Thursday.
"We urge the US to abide by the three Sino-US joint
communiqués and related commitments, not to conduct any
official dealings and contacts with Taiwan, not to allow important
Taiwan political figures to use 'stopovers' as an excuse to engage
in separatist activities," Kong said.
Kong also urged the US to support Sino-US relations with concrete
action.
Jia
Qinglin, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese
People's Political Consultative Council also indicated a desire for
the United States to maintain its commitment to the mainland on the
Taiwan issue, which Jia described as the most important and
sensitive issue in Sino-US relations.
Jia made the statement when meeting with visiting former Speaker of
the US House of Representatives Newt Gingrich in Beijing on
Thursday.
Jia said Sino-US relations will continue to progress as long as
both sides proceed from a strategic and long-term view. He
discussed the importance of adhering to the principles of the three
Sino-US joint communiqués, increasing communication and
understanding and developing a constructive, long-term
relationship.
Gingrich referred to US-China relations as one of the most
important bilateral relationships in the world, and noted that the
common interests of the two countries are growing.
He stated that he had gained further insight into China's concern
over the Taiwan issue through his visit, and emphasized that the
Taiwan issue should be handled properly to ensure stable
development of bilateral relations.
The most recent reports on Chen's planned trip indicate that at the
request of the US to make his stopover as brief as possible, he
will now stay overnight on both stops instead of for two days, as
originally planned.
(China Daily, CRI.com?August 20, 2004)