Taiwan Nationalists leader visits Beijing
{{date|March 30, 2005}}
[[Image:Flag of China.png|thumb|right|KMT Vice Chairman Chiang Pin-kung is meeting with CPC officials in Beijing.]]

A delegation of from the [[w:Kuomintang|Chinese Kuomintang (KMT, or Nationalist Party)]], is meeting with [[w:Communist Party of China|Communist Party of China (CPC)]] officials in [[w:Beijing|Beijing]] today, led by KMT Vice Chairman [[w:Chiang Pin-kung|Chiang Pin-kung]].

"We hope the current crisis can be minimized," Chiang said in Beijing. "After the anti-secession law was enacted we saw reactions and protests," he continued, "The Beijing authorities have likely heard it for themselves but we have also brought the voice of the [[w:Taiwan|Taiwanese]] people with us."

===Banquet and meeting===
Chen Yunlin, director of the [[w:Taiwan Affairs Office|Taiwan Affairs Office]] of the [[w:People's Republic of China|People's Republic of China]], hosted Chiang at a banquet in Beijing's Diaoyutai State Guesthouse. Chen characterized the delegation's visit as opening "party to party dialogue" and that the visit "has inaugurated the first sign of a dialogue between your Party and our Party."

Wednesday evening, Chen met with the delegation to discuss cross-[[w:Taiwan Strait|Straits]] economic ties. Representatives from numerous other Chinese agencies were also present at the meeting, including the Ministries of Agriculture and Commerce, and the General Administration of Civil Aviation. The meeting discussed the possibility of opening up Taiwan to tourists from the mainland.

Zhu Peikang, Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of the mainland's [[w:Revolutionary Committee of the Kuomintang|Revolutionary Committee of the Kuomintang]], also welcomed the Nationalist delegation.

Zhu said Chiang's visit was important, and "focused on the common interests of the people on both sides and the promotion of the cross-Straits exchanges and cooperation."

===Visit to Nanjing===
[[Image:Naval Jack of the Republic of China.svg|thumb|right|The Nationalists are the main opposition party in Taiwan.]]
Earlier in the day, Chiang was in [[w:Nanjing|Nanjing]], to lay a wreath at the tomb of his party's founder, [[w:Sun Yat-sen|Sun Yat-sen]]. He also signed a guest book at the former Nationalists presidential office with the line, "Icebreaking journey."

"My heart was filled with limitless excitement and deep emotion," Chiang told the [[w:Associated Press|''Associated Press'']]. "It was very moving to visit."

Nanjing was the former capital used by the Nationalists before they lost the [[w:Civil war|civil war]] with the [[w:Communist Party of China|Communists]] and evacuated to Taiwan in [[w:1949|1949]].

===Reaction===
In Taiwan, [[w:Joseph Wu|Joseph Wu]], chairman of the [[w:Mainland Affairs Council|Mainland Affairs Council]], condemned the visit by the Nationalist delegation to the mainland.

"The Chinese strategy is always divide and conquer, and the KMT is playing into China's hands," he told [[w:The New York Times|''The New York Times'']] and [[w:International Herald Tribune|''International Herald Tribune'']] reporters. "It's very odd that they would cooperate with the Communist Party instead of the ruling party here on Taiwan," Wu said.

Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Michael Ying-mao Kau disclosed that the United States is concerned about the Nationalist visit, and that American officials have privately said that Taiwan's political parties should first unify and build a consensus to strengthen their negotiating position with mainland China.

==See also==
* {{Wikinews|title=China and Taiwan react to "326" rally
|date=March 28, 2005}}
*{{Wikinews|title=Hundreds of thousands protest anti-secession law in Taiwan
|date=March 26, 2005}}
*{{Wikinews|title=Taiwan Democratic Alliance for Peace plans massive rally on Saturday
|date=March 25, 2005}}
*{{Wikinews|title=China enacts historic "anti-secession" law
|date=March 15, 2005}}
*{{Wikinews|title=Taiwanese political parties propose "anti-invasion" laws
|date=March 15, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://www.gio.gov.tw/taiwan-website/4-oa/20041210/2004121001.html 
|title=2004 Legislative Yuan Election 
|pub=Government Information Office, Republic of China (Taiwan) 
|author=Government Information Office, Republic of China (Taiwan) 
|date=December 10, 2004 }}

==Sources==
*{{source|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-03/30/content_2765637.htm
|title=Mainland official calls Chiang's visit "first sign" of CPC-KMT dialogue
|author=
|pub=Xinhua
|date=March 30, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-03/30/content_2765700.htm
|title=CPC Taiwan Affairs Office, KMT delegation meet on economic issues
|author=
|pub=Xinhua
|date=March 30, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=626345
|title=Taiwan Nationalists Leader Visits China
|author=Alexa Oleseh, AP
|pub=ABS News
|date=March 30, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/03/30/news/taiwan.html
|title=Beijing visit is divisive, Taiwan official says
|author=Chris Buckley and Keith Bradsher
|pub=International Herald Tribune
|date=March 30, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://english.www.gov.tw/index.jsp?action=cna&cnaid=8190
|title=U.S. EXPRESSES CONCERN ABOUT KMT DELEGATION'S CHINA VISIT
|author=
|pub=Central News Agency
|date=March 30, 2005}}

   

__NOTOC__
{{archive}}
[[Category:Asia]]
[[Category:China]]
[[Category:Taiwan]]
[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:Published]]
[[Category:Beijing]]
KMT Vice Chairman Chiang Pin-kung is meeting with CPC officials in Beijing.

A delegation of from the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT, or Nationalist Party), is meeting with Communist Party of China (CPC) officials in Beijing today, led by KMT Vice Chairman Chiang Pin-kung.

"We hope the current crisis can be minimized," Chiang said in Beijing. "After the anti-secession law was enacted we saw reactions and protests," he continued, "The Beijing authorities have likely heard it for themselves but we have also brought the voice of the Taiwanese people with us."

Wednesday evening, Chen met with the delegation to discuss cross-Straits economic ties. Representatives from numerous other Chinese agencies were also present at the meeting, including the Ministries of Agriculture and Commerce, and the General Administration of Civil Aviation. The meeting discussed the possibility of opening up Taiwan to tourists from the mainland.

Zhu Peikang, Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of the mainland's Revolutionary Committee of the Kuomintang, also welcomed the Nationalist delegation.

Zhu said Chiang's visit was important, and "focused on the common interests of the people on both sides and the promotion of the cross-Straits exchanges and cooperation."

"My heart was filled with limitless excitement and deep emotion," Chiang told the Associated Press. "It was very moving to visit."

Nanjing was the former capital used by the Nationalists before they lost the civil war with the Communists and evacuated to Taiwan in 1949.

"The Chinese strategy is always divide and conquer, and the KMT is playing into China's hands," he told The New York Times and International Herald Tribune reporters. "It's very odd that they would cooperate with the Communist Party instead of the ruling party here on Taiwan," Wu said.

Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Michael Ying-mao Kau disclosed that the United States is concerned about the Nationalist visit, and that American officials have privately said that Taiwan's political parties should first unify and build a consensus to strengthen their negotiating position with mainland China.

__NOTOC__
Asia China Taiwan Politics and conflicts Published Beijing