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By Rommel C. Lontayao, Reporter
A Taiwanese representative called on Beijing to
remove its ballistic missiles reportedly aimed at the island, even
as he expressed intentions to discuss improving relations with
China’s envoy in Manila.
“We want China to give up its military
equipment so that we can go on with our peace talks concerning
relations between the Republic of China [Taiwan] and mainland China
[People’s Republic of China],” Representative Donald C.T. Lee of
the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office said in an exclusive
roundtable with The Manila Times on Thursday.
On Wednesday, the Taiwanese newspaper China
Times reported that China was pointing new ballistic missiles at the
island despite improving ties that will see direct charter flights
begin today.
The People’s Liberation Army has built a new
ballistic missile base on China’s southeastern coast opposite
Taiwan and replaced missiles already deployed with improved
versions, the newspaper reported.
“The missiles should be removed,” Lee said,
adding that doing so would be a “show of goodwill” on the part
of the Beijing government.
If the missiles can be destroyed, it would be
major step toward peace between Taipei and Beijing, he added.
Ties between Taiwan and China have begun warming
since China-friendly President Ma Ying-jeou took office in May,
pledging to improve relations with the island’s giant and booming
neighbor.
Today marks the first time Chinese from the
mainland can visit Taiwan, where some 700 tourists are expected to
arrive. On Monday, Taiwan allowed its banks to exchange Chinese
currency for the first time in more than five decades as frosty ties
with Beijing continue to thaw. And Taiwan’s vice president and the
secretary-general of the ruling political party, the Kuomintang,
have visited China and met with senior officials there recently.
In the Philippines, Lee reiterated his intent to
sit down with the Chinese ambassador to Manila to discuss the state
of relations between Taiwan and China. He made a similar statement
shortly after arriving in the Philippines 10 days ago.
“As of now, there is no development yet
concerning talks with Beijing,” Lee added on Thursday. “We are
open to talks with Chinese officials.”
Wellington Wei, press division director of the
Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Manila, conceded that the
meeting might be difficult for Beijing’s diplomats.
The bottom line is, he added, is that Taiwan
wants China to give up military force as an option to reunite the
island with the mainland, “because they’ve never said that.”
On Wednesday, the Taiwanese government said it
would not back down from a military showdown with China after
reports that the People’s Liberation Army has built a new
ballistic missile base on China’s southeastern coast opposite
Taiwan.
The two states have a quite a long history of
dispute. China, claiming sovereignty over Taiwan, does not recognize
the Republic of China. In fact, China considers Taiwan as a renegade
province, where forces under Chiang Kai-shek of the Kuomintang fled
to in 1949 during the Chinese civil war.
Lee admitted that “the relationship [between
the mainland and Taiwan] is very complicated.” The unresolved
conflict has gone on for long that “they don’t know how to make
friends.”
The Taiwan official said talks about unification
have existed for a long time, but for now, most people in his
country actually prefer the status quo.
Should unification talks commence, Lee said both
parties must “establish mutual trust first.”
“Mutual trust is very important. The parties
must be sincere and open their minds to create co-prosperity between
the two sides,” he added
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-- With AFP
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