20100120 Chen less-than-thrilled by cross-strait talk invitation

Chen less-than-thrilled by cross-strait talk invitation
　

By Flora Wang
STAFF REPORTER
Wednesday, Jan 20, 2010, Page 3

Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu (陳菊) yesterday expressed reservations after Kaohsiung City Council Speaker Chuang Chi-wang (莊啟旺) on Monday invited Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS) Chairman Chen Yunlin (陳雲林) to hold the sixth round of cross-strait negotiations in Kaohsiung.

Chen Chu told reporters at the city government that she respected Chuang’s idea, but said that any cross-strait meetings should be transparent and subject to the oversight of the legislature, the public and the media.

‘COMFORTABLE’

“I believe what’s more important is whether Taiwanese are comfortable with the agenda of the meeting,” said Chen Chu, a founder of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

“We look forward to seeing the meetings between Chen and [Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) Chairman] Chiang [Pin-kung (江丙坤)] open to the Taiwanese public. If so, no matter where the meeting is held, even in ­Kaohsiung — an international port and free city — we will all welcome the meeting,” the mayor said.

Chen Chu’s comment came after Chuang extended an invitation to Chen Yunlin during a visit to Beijing on Monday.

INVITATION

Chuang, a member of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), is leading a delegation of local hoteliers and businesspeople to promote ­Kaohsiung in China.

Chen Yunlin responded to the invitation by saying that he would love to see the plan come to fruition.

KMT and DPP councilors were divided on whether the sixth round of negotiation meeting should be held in Kaohsiung, a traditional DPP stronghold and historical base of the opposition movement.

‘SELL OUT’

“He’s here to talk about nothing but how to sell out Taiwan. Then why does he need to come [to Kaohsiung]? I will never welcome him,” DPP Councilor Huang Chao-hsing (黃昭星) said.

However, KMT Councilor Tung Yen-chen (童燕珍) said this would be an opportunity to “let Chen Yunlin know that Kaohsiung is a friendly city.”