A mainland official yesterday accused Taiwan leader Chen
Shui-bian and the ruling Democratic Progressive Party of being
behind the "constitutional reform" drafts proposed by secessionists
on the island.
"Chen Shui-bian's conspiracy seeking 'de jure Taiwan
independence' through 'constitutional reform' in the name of public
opinion will not succeed," said Yang Yi, spokesman of the Taiwan
Affairs Office of the State Council.
Yang said some Taiwan secessionist organizations and individuals
had come up with drafts for so-called "constitutional reform" aimed
at "Taiwan independence", including the amendment of the "national
title, flag and territory".
Chen and the Taiwan secessionist forces are working through
unofficial organizations, getting them to put up drafts in favor of
"de jure Taiwan independence" in an attempt to influence public
opinion, Yang told a regular press briefing.
He also said Lien Chan, honorary chairman of Taiwan's leading
opposition party Kuomintang (KMT), would head a KMT delegation to
attend the third cross-Straits economic, trade and cultural forum
scheduled for April 28-29 in Beijing.
He said representatives from the two sides would exchange views
on topics of common concern, including direct flights, education
and tourism.
"We hope this forum will further promote cross-Straits economic
and cultural exchanges and cooperation and push cross-Straits
relations towards peace and stability," he said.
Lien will also attend a worship ceremony at the hometown of the
Yellow Emperor, the ancestor of the Han people, in Central China's
Henan Province at the invitation of the Henan Provincial Committee
of the Communist Party of China, Yang said.
This will be the fourth visit by Lien Chan to the mainland since
his first in April 2005, when he met Hu Jintao, general secretary
of the CPC Central Committee.
Asked whether Wu Poh-hsiung, the new KMT chairman, who was sworn
in yesterday, would also take part in the forum, Yang said that the
list of people present at the forum was still under discussion.
Wu was elected on Saturday after former KMT chairman Ma
Ying-jeou resigned in the wake of an indictment on corruption
charges.
Wu had reportedly been planning to visit the mainland by the end
of this month.
Yang also announced that a national Taiwan-funded Enterprises
Association would be officially founded in Beijing on Monday.
Yang said Taiwan businessmen on the mainland had voluntarily
launched the non-profit association. Its goal is to provide
services for member companies, protect their legal rights and
promote cross-Straits economic exchanges and cooperation.
The mainland has approved more than 70,000 ventures in which
Taiwan business people had invested $44 billion by the end of last
year.
(Xinhua News Agency April 12, 2007)