Taiwan ex-PM seeks to build China common market

Vincent Siew calls his China visit a 'tour of communications'

By staff and wire reports

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Former Taiwan premier Vincent Siew is flying to Beijing in a bid to sell China his idea of a regional common market as part of reconciliation efforts with the mainland.

Siew, who stepped down as premier last May and is now the vice president of Taiwan's main opposition Nationalist Party, is the highest-ranking Taiwanese official to visit China.

"I feel we need to let economic and trade ties between the two sides build a long-term, stable mechanism. This mechanism is a common market," Siew told reporters shortly before boarding a plane for Macau en route to Beijing.

"There still exist too many unnecessary risks and uncertainties," Siew said.

Earlier the Taiwan-based China Times newspaper quoted Siew as saying that a lack of information and legal protection brought 'negative barriers' for Taiwanese businesses in China.

Despite political tensions, Taiwan investors have poured $50 billion into China since Beijing allowed Taiwanese to enter in the early 1980s.

Most have been lured to the mainland by low land and labor costs as well as sharing the same Mandarin language and Chinese culture.

He plans to visit Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen through May 16, proposing his idea of a cross-strait common market modeled on the E.U.

Siew said he was not representing the government or any political parties, nor would he deliver any messages on behalf of the President Chen Shui-bian.

Siew, visiting China as head of the Cross-Strait Common Market Foundation, is leading a group of heads of major Taiwanese banks and firms.

'Journey of communication'

Branding his China visit as "a journey of communication", Siew was quoted by the China Times as saying that he will be a representative of his think-tank to talk to Chinese officials and academics about "studies and theories".

The delegation will meet Chinese Vice Premier Qian Qichen, and Wang Daohan, China's top negotiator on China-Taiwan relations.

Local Taiwan media reports say the Chen administration is likely to invite Siew to replace Koo Chen-fu, the current Taiwan negotiator on cross-strait relations, and another daily.

The newspaper said in an editorial Tuesday entitled "Go slow on Siew" that it was "extraordinary" that the Interior Ministry had approved his visit and Siew's "cross-strait common market" plan is a "lofty but remote goal".

"Siew seems poised to take the helm in representing Taiwan in talks with China," the editorial said, citing that Siew had been marginalized since the Nationalist Party went into the wilderness in last March's presidential election.

"Both Siew and the Chen administration are being too wishful and optimistic about improving cross-strait relations by pitching the common market proposal," the editorial said.

Ties between Taiwan and China became strained last month after U.S. President George W. Bush pledged to help defend the island of 23 million people in case China attacked, and agreed to arm Taiwan with submarines and destroyers.

Bush's move angered Beijing and threatened to prolong the stalemate between Taipei and Beijing, bitter rivals since the Chinese civil war that ended in 1949 with the Communists driving the Nationalists into exile in Taiwan.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Taiwan tripper may upset China
May 6, 2001
China urges U.S. not to grant Chen visa
April 28, 2001
Bush pledges whatever it takes to defend Taiwan
April 25, 2001

Taiwan G.I.O.
China Times
Taipei Times

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.