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Taiwanese analysts asked the island's government yesterday not to react too negatively to Lien Chan's  visit and his meeting with President Hu Jintao  .

They said a stern rejection would only reduce the chances of the government returning to the negotiating table to resolve disputes with the mainland.

'Basically, the trip by Lien Chan and his meeting with Hu Jintao are not only historically significant but are helpful to ease cross-strait tension,' said Andrew Yang Nien-tzu,  secretary-general of Taiwan's Chinese Council for Advanced Policy Studies, a Taipei-based think-tank.

Mr Lien's visit was  a direct message to the mainland that Taiwanese people wanted peace, he said, adding any positive response from the mainland to that message was basically good for Taiwan.

Analysts said it was understandable that Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian  would be reluctant to accept the result of yesterday's meeting between Mr Lien and Mr Hu in Beijing as the basis for the two sides to return to talks.

But they said there was a need for the government to do something in order to return to the negotiating table.

Former Mainland Affairs Council vice-chairman Lin Chong-pin  concurred. 'The Democratic Progressive Party government should not react too strongly to the mainland using the 1992 consensus [that both sides could have their own interpretation of 'one China'] as the basis for cross-strait talks,' said Professor  Lin, who specialises in  international strategy and is based at Tamkang University.

Professor  Lin, a former deputy defence minister in the Chen administration, said the president had said that he was willing to use the 1992 meeting in Hong Kong as the basis for talks with the mainland but had denied that a consensus had been reached.

Analysts said  Mr Chen was the key to the prospect of future cross-strait relations.

'President Chen can choose to accept the 'constitutional one-China' and drop the pro-independence stance. Whatever he chooses, it will affect future cross-strait development,' said political commentator Hu Chung-hsin,  referring to the fact that under the existing constitution, the Republic of China recognised there was only one Chinese nation in the world.

Aside from the political impact on Taiwan, analysts said Mr Lien was the biggest beneficiary of his 'journey of peace'.

'Through the trip, he has created the highest level of political fame,' said popular political commentator Sisy Chen.



Reaction of Taiwan's leader vital to future relations, say observers