Taiwan President Ma
Ying-jou came under fire Sunday from the pro-independence Democratic
Progressive Party (DPP) for supporting historic talks with Beijing next week.
Opposition leader Lai Ching-te called Monday's planned visit to China by Nationalist Party (KMT) chairman Wu Poh-hsiung a threat to the island's
sovereignty.
"It is highly improper for Ma Ying-jeou to give up the chance of upholding
Taiwan's sovereignty by supporting that Wu Poh-hsiung not to mention our
national title during his talks with Hu Jintao," he said.
Wu, who would be the first KMT chairman to visit China in his capacity as head
of the ruling party, is scheduled to hold talks with Hu on improvement of
cross-strait ties, launch of weekend charter flights and holiday visit by
Chinese tourists from July 4 as planned by Ma.
Ma won the presidential election in March to allow the KMT to return to power
after losing the presidency to the DPP in 2000.
Ma asked Wu to carry a message to the Chinese leader, telling him that Taiwan hopes to set aside political disputes in order to talk with China. Wu later said if the
Chinese side does not mention any sensitive issues, such as political
sovereignty, he would not do so either.
Lai said Ma's support for talks with the Chinese Communist Party leader would
fuel public concerns that Ma's government is "leaning too heavily"
towards China, dpa reported.