China/Taiwan

Red carpet welcome for KMT chief

Article published on the 2008-05-28 Latest update 2008-05-29 18:45 TU

Wu Poh-Hsiung shakes hand with Chen Yunlin (R), Vice-Director of The Office of Taiwan Affairs at Nanjing Lukou International airport
(Photo: Reuters)

China's President Hu Jintao called for "the peaceful development of cross-strait relations", after meeting the chairperson of Taiwan's ruling Kuomintang (KMT) in the highest-level meeting between the two sides since 1949. Hu shook hands with Wu Poh-hsiung during a red carpet welcome at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. He promised to "look to the future" before his meeting with Wu, who said that both sides must never again use arms against each other.

"We cannot guarantee there won't be any natural disasters any more on both sides of the strait," he said in a reference to China's recent earthquake. "But through our mutual efforts, we can ensure there is no war."

Hu welcomed Taiwan's help after the earthquake, which came after a series of measures to bring the two sides closer.

The Kuomintang's Ma Ying-jeou was sworn in as president last week, after defeating the Democratic Progressive Party's Chen Shui-bian who had angered Beijing with pro-independence rhetoric.

Both sides technically regard themselves as the legal government of China and want reunification on their own terms.

But, while Chen proposed applying to join the United Nations as Taiwan, the KMT has encouraged business and now political links.

Taipei last week announced that bilateral talks will resume next month, after a break of over a decade.

They should lead to increased trade and tourism, starting with weekend passenger charter and cargo flights across the Taiwan Strait.

"This meeting, that’s ongoing for six days, is deemed as an economic one but it’s prominently a political one," says Beijing correspondent Abel Segretan.