China/Taiwan

Silent historic meeting amid loud protests

Article published on the 2008-11-06 Latest update 2008-11-06 15:03 TU

Chen Yunlin receives a gift from Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou
(Photo: Reuters)

Taiwan’s President Ma Ying-jeou met with China’s top negotiator for Tawainese affairs on Thursday, the highest-level contact between the two countries since the end of their civil war in 1949.

The meeting, broadcast live on television, lasted only five minutes and included an exchange of gifts, and very few spoken words.

The Chinese official, Chen Yunlin, was in Taipei to sign four economic agreements with the island intended to ease the tensions between the two governments. They included measures for a direct mail service, increasing the number of flights between the two countries, shortening routes across the Taiwan straight, and a food safety co-operation pact.

Tens of thousands of anti-People's Republic protesters gathered outside the meeting shouting slogans objecting to Chen’s presence and Taiwan’s rapprochement with China. Thousands of baton-wielding riot police kept the crowd at bay.

The protests were organised by the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). Chen cancelled a press conference as they filled the capital's streets, citing a "scheduling conflict".

Ma insisted that "Taiwan's status has not been undermined nor its sovereignty weakened".

Joanna Lei, a former legislator and member of Ma's Koumintang (KMT), says that Taiwan faces "two alternative paths to the future".

"One is signified by the four MoUs [Memorandums of Undestanding] signed by the parties which is a path of peaceful negotiation of economic codevelopment across the straits," she told RFI. "The other one, as illustrated by the protest and the DPP approach, is a highly polticised, sovereignty-centric discussion, which could, if not taken care of carefully, lead to political and military confrontation."

China does not officially recognise Taiwan, and considers the island a breakaway province. It currently has some 1,300 missiles pointed at the island and has said that it would invade if Taiwan declares independence.

The meeting was the highest-level contact between the two countries since the nationalist Koumintang lost the Chinese civil war and fled to the island in 1949.