China’s Wen offers peace talks to Taiwan

HONG KONG - Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao made a more concrete offer of peace on Sunday to Taiwan, saying Beijing was willing to discuss direct transport links with the island under the “one-China” principle.
“Based upon the foundation of the 1992 consensus, we can revive discussion and negotiations. We can talk about any issue, including materialisation of the three links,” Wen told Hong Kong reporters in Laos on the sidelines of an environment summit.
By “three links”, Wen was referring to the resumption of direct trade, transport and mail deliveries, which Taiwan banned decades ago due to security fears.
Beijing sees self-governing Taiwan as a breakaway province to be brought back to the fold, by force if necessary.
In what is known as the 1992 consensus, Beijing and Taipei agreed to their own interpretations of the “one China” principle and both sides held landmark talks in Singapore in 1993.
However, official talks between China and Taiwan have been suspended since 1999, when Taiwan’s former president, Lee Teng-hui, redefined ties as “special state-to-state” relations.
But with last weekend’s election of Ma Ying-jeou, a more China-friendly president for Taiwan, some analysts believe more than half a century of hostility and tension between China and Taiwan might finally come to an end.
Wen painted a picture of more than just the “three links”.
“We can increase economic, trade and cultural exchange,” he said, adding that Hong Kong, which has long benefitted as a middleman between both places, would not suffer.
“I think it won’t affect Hong Kong. Economic exchange across the (Taiwan) Strait and among the three places will enhance Hong Kong’s economic development and economic development across the Taiwan Strait,” he said.