Any form of Taiwan "independence" will
poison cross-Straits relations and heighten tension and
confrontation -- eventually damaging the interests of Taiwan
compatriots -- a Taiwan affairs official said on March 27.
Proclaiming the so-called World Taiwanese
Meeting -- with the theme of "independence for
Taiwan" held in Taipei on March 17 -- a
"farce," Li Weiyi, spokesman of Taiwan Affairs
Office of the State Council, said any separatist activity in
any form of Taiwan independence will be absolutely opposed
by all Chinese.
The second annual World
Taiwanese Meeting agitated "rectifying the name of
Taiwan" and "drawing up a state
constitution."
Li said such actions have
angered anti-Taiwan-independence people and organizations in
the island who criticized those Taiwan independence elements
as "tools of foreign anti-China forces."
At the meeting, some leaders of Taiwan
authorities put forward five so-called desperate fights:
"fight for economy;" "fight for
diplomacy;" "fight for security;" "fight
for rectification of name" and "fight for
constitutional reform."
Also at
Wednesday's regular press conference, Li announced the
mainland was willing to set up a non-governmental mechanism
with Taiwan to resolve the problem of a fishing labor
exchange across the Taiwan Straits.
"We
hope to have further discussions on this matter and quickly
establish a cross-Straits non-governmental consultation
mechanism to resolve this issue at an early date," Li
said.
The spokesman urged Taiwan authorities
to adopt measures to truly guarantee legal benefits for
mainland fish industry workers and to allow the
cross-Straits fishing labor exchange to develop in a healthy
way under a good environment.
The mainland has
prevented its workers from taking jobs with Taiwan fishing
companies since February. Many Taiwan fishing companies rely
on the cheap laborers for their operations due to a local
labor shortage. However, it is reported that basic rights of
mainland workers were not guaranteed.
Li also
confirmed that representatives from Taiwan's fishery
associations arrived in the mainland on March 15 to hold
talks with the mainland's Cross-Straits Cooperation and
Coordination Committee to resolve the problem.
Turning to reports that former Taiwan
"National Security Bureau" accountant Liu
Kuan-chun, who skimmed off interest earnings from the
bureau's secret fund, has escaped to the mainland, Li said
it was totally groundless rumors.
When asked
to comment on the suggestion by Lee Chu-feng -- the
"magistrate" of the offshore county of Jinmen --
to use Jinmen as an experimental plot of the "one
country, two systems" policy, Li did not give a direct
answer but said that those thoughts in the interests of
local people will be realized in the future.
Li also confirmed the Beijing-based People's
Bank of China has approved the applications of two Taiwanese
commercial banks to operate in the mainland, noting the
relevant departments are legally examining another six
applications.
"We have always welcomed
Taiwanese banks to establish offices in the mainland,"
said Li.
Beijing has approved United World
Chinese Commercial Bank to open an office in Shanghai and
Chang Hwa Commercial Bank to open its office in Kunshan in
Jiangsu Province.
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