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Jacky Hsu

Ma sees direct trade, transport and post in two years, but delays on unification

The head of Taiwan's main opposition Kuomintang party has pledged to forge direct cross-strait links with the mainland within two years if it returns to power in 2008.

However, party chief Ma Ying-jeou  said cross-strait unification might not be achieved by his generation, although he would strive to end the 56-year split between Taiwan and the mainland. In three separate media interviews at the weekend,  Mr Ma  said the KMT would push for the 'three direct links' - trade, transport and postal ties - with the mainland if it regained power.

'If the KMT wins back power, I believe the two sides should be able to forge the three links in two years,' he told the Asian news channel of Taiwan's ETToday TV.

This was the first time Mr Ma  had given a date  for introducing the  links. The popular Taipei mayor took the helm of the  party on August 19.

After ruling Taiwan for five decades, the KMT lost to the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party in the 2000 presidential elections.

Mr Ma, seen as the KMT's most likely candidate to contest the 2008 presidential polls, said the DPP had delayed establishing direct links with the mainland, which were vital to Taiwan's ambitions to become a regional and even global hub for business.

The DPP lashed out  in response yesterday, saying Mr Ma had acted improperly by giving a date for the links.

'Setting a timetable for issues involving cross-strait exchanges is tantamount to confining ourselves, which would only restrict our flexibility and room for manoeuvring when dealing with China,' said DPP spokesman Cheng Wen-tsang.

He said Mr Ma's proposal showed he was 'lacking thorough consideration' and was 'incapable of handling cross-strait issues'.

Mr Ma also told Associated Press television he hoped he would prove capable of bringing Taiwan and the mainland together.

'I certainly will make every effort to achieve that because only by doing that can we bring eternal peace to both sides,' he said.

Mr Ma said he did not know how long it would take to reunify the two sides.

'It may not be achieved by our generation,' he said.

But in an interview with three Japanese media outlets, he stressed reunification would be difficult if Beijing refused to reassess its verdict on the Tiananmen incident  and adopt democracy.

Reunification depended on Beijing allowing democracy, and without it, uniting the two sides would remain difficult.

Mr Ma stressed, however, that the issue would not affect the strengthening ties between the KMT and the mainland's Communist Party. He  would not rule out  meeting mainland leaders  after stepping down as mayor of Taipei by the end of next year.



KMT leader sets timeline on key links to mainland