While Taiwan's opposition Kuomintang (KMT) made a historic visit to the mainland to promote mutual understanding and closer economic ties across the Straits, Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian and his ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) were pointing their fingers.

They missed no chance to instigate hostility and confrontation among people on both sides. The DPP bashed the KMT visit, saying it was "a trip of surrender." Chen portrayed the trip as "backpedalling," saying "the situation seems to be out of place and time, as if they had turned the clock back 60 to 80 years."

The accusations reflect the failure of the DPP to face the reality and betray Chen's earlier pledges to push for reconciliation with opposition parties and improve ties with the mainland. Preoccupied with promoting secession, they have lost the capability to distinguish between right and wrong.

Before launching attacks against the trip aimed at easing cross-Straits tensions, Chen and his party should first get right the answers to the following questions: Do most Taiwanese people hope for confrontation rather than reconciliation in cross-Straits relations? Is the KMT delegation to be frowned upon for heeding the public call to seek cross-Straits peace, as also once pledged by Chen himself?

The Taiwan leader and his party risk standing up against the will of the people if they fail to conform to the Taiwanese people's common aspirations for peace, stability and development.

It needed political courage and far-sightedness for the KMT to start its first official visit to the mainland in 56 years. The five-day trip, which ends today, will prove to be of significance to the development of cross-Straits relations in the future.

While paying their respects to KMT martyrs and party founder Sun Yat-sen, the KMT delegation, headed by Vice-Chairman Chiang Pin-kung, focused on strengthening economic and trade exchanges across the Straits.

Through intensive discussion and talks, the delegation and related mainland departments reached consensus on many topics. Among them were the establishment of cross-Straits cargo charter flights, the sale of Taiwan agricultural products on the mainland and the access of Taiwan's service industries on the mainland.

All of these issues, vital to the revival of Taiwan's economy, have been put aside by the ideology-minded DPP administration. As Chiang claimed earlier, the KMT is actually doing what the Taiwan authorities are unwilling to do.

On the political front, the KMT visit injects hope for the development of cross-Straits relations through consultation. The visit marked the opening of party-to-party dialogue between the KMT and the Communist Party of China. Considering the persistent stalemate in cross-Straits ties since Chen took power in May 2000, such inter-party exchanges are set to help enhance mutual understanding and trust. It is hoped that the KMT visit will herald more cross-Straits consultations and higher-level exchanges, such as KMT Chairman Lien Chan's possible mainland visit, to benefit bilateral ties.

Chen and the DPP should draw a warning from the saying that you may fool some people all of the time, you may fool all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time. The people will see clearly who is pursuing a secessionist agenda at the expense of their welfare and fundamental interests.

The secessionist forces' intensified push for the secession of Taiwan from the motherland poses the biggest threat to peace and stability in the Straits as well as the Asia-Pacific Region. To safeguard cross-Straits peace and achieve common development and prosperity, it is imperative for people on both sides to jointly oppose and curb secessionist forces.

Bright light raises hopes to improve Taiwan ties

Tension across the Taiwan Straits has eased and now the ties between the two sides are more harmonious.

A vice-director for Taiwan affairs at the central government's Liaison Office in Hong Kong, Yang Liuchang, said this yesterday at a forum, coinciding with a 34-member Kuomintang delegation's first visit to the mainland in 56 years.

"As spring comes, we can see new hope for reconciliation across the Straits, and the mainland is ready to embrace the people of Taiwan and strengthen amicable relations for the future," he told guests and reporters at a forum.

"The Taiwanese administration should seize this opportunity to begin peaceful dialogue and constructive exchanges," he said.

Beijing is committed to safeguarding the interests of the Taiwanese people, Yang said. Mainland leaders, who are staunch advocates of peaceful reunification, have shown a more receptive and caring attitude towards the Taiwan authorities.

The Nationalists' historic visit to the mainland this week is a significant step towards better mutual understanding and more across-the-Straits exchanges, he said.

"Over the past ten years, mainland-Taiwan ties have been tense and full of unpredictable changes," Yang said. "But I think we are seeing a new light at the end of a long winter, and the future will depend on the direction the Taiwan government's policies take."

He stressed that if Taiwan declares independence it would mean the end of stability in the region. "The easing of tensions is a foundation for further cross-Straits communications. This is vital for the future of the Chinese people and its success will depend on Taiwan's willingness to renew talks."

(China Daily April 1, 2005)