DATE=10/15/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-240229
TITLE=CHINA / TAIWAN (L)
BYLINE=ROGER WILKINSON
DATELINE=SHANGHAI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  CHINA AND TAIWAN HAVE MOVED CLOSER TO RESUMING A FORMAL 
DIALOGUE DESPITE DIFFERENCES ON WHAT SUBJECTS SHOULD BE BROUGHT 
UP AT FORMAL TALKS.  V-O-A CORESPONDENT ROGER WILKISON REPORTS 
FROM SHANGHAI THAT THE BITTER RIVALS' TOP NEGOTIATORS AGREED TO 
STUDY THE RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF ROUTINE TALKS THAT WERE BROKEN OFF 
THREE YEARS AGO.

TEXT:  NEGOTIATORS KOO CHEN-FU -- FOR TAIWAN -- AND WANG DAOHAN 
-- FOR CHINA -- INSTRUCTED THEIR SENIOR AIDES TO STEP UP THEIR 
CONTACTS AND LOOK INTO WAYS TO RESTORE A SYSTEMATIC DIALOGUE 
ACROSS THE TAIWAN STRAIT.  

MR. KOO INVITED MR. WANG TO VISIT TAIWAN AND SUGGESTED HE DO SO 
DURING TAIWAN'S ELECTIONS IN DECEMBER.  THE TAIWANESE MAKE MUCH 
OF THE FACT THAT THEIR ISLAND IS A THRIVING DEMOCRACY AND HAVE 
RESISTED CHINESE SUGGESTIONS THAT TAIWAN REUNITE WITH THE 
MAINLAND, SAYING THEY WILL ONLY CONSDER DOING SO WHEN CHINA 
ITSELF BECOMES A DEMOCRACY.

TSAI ING-WEN, AN AIDE TO MR. KOO, SAYS HER BOSS THINKS IT WOULD 
BE A GOOD IDEA IF HIS CHINESE COUNTERPART WERE TO PERSONALLY SEE 
HOW TAIWAN'S DEMOCRACY OPERATES AND HOW IT SHAPES TAIWANESE 
ATTITUDES TOWARD THE MAINLAND.  SHE SAYS CHINA AND TAIWAN BOTH 
AGREE THAT THEY MUST MAINTAIN CLOSER CONTACT.

                    //// TSAI ACTUALITY ////

         BOTH SIDES REALIZE THAT WE CAN'T STAND STILL AND THAT WE
         HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD, AND THERE'S A GREAT NEED FOR BOTH 
         SIDES TO COOPERATE AND TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEMS NOW 
         FACING US.  AND AS FAR AS THE TAIWANESE SIDE IS 
         CONCERNED, WE WOULD LIKE TO SHOW THE DEMOCRACY AND 
         MODERNIZATION OF TAIWAN SO THAT THEY CAN GET A BETTER 
         UNDERSTANDING OF THE WAY WE THINK AND APPROACH MATTERS, 
         INCLUDING MATTERS RELATED TO MAINLAND AFFAIRS. 

                     //// END ACTUALITY ////

BUT MR. WANG'S TOP AIDE, TANG SHUBEI, TURNED DOWN THE OFFER TO  
WITNESS THE ELECTIONS AND SAID HIS BOSS WILL VISIT TAIWAN 
SOMETIME NEXT YEAR.

     ////TANG ACTUALITY (IN CHINESE) ESTABLISH AND FADE/////

HE SAYS MR. WANG IS WILLING TO VISIT THE ISLAND TO UNDERSTAND THE
SITUATION THERE BETTER BUT THAT THE CHINESE NEGOTIATOR'S SCHEDULE
FOR THE REST OF THIS YEAR IS TIED UP.

MR. TANG SAID FUTURE TALKS BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES WILL COVER ALL  
ISSUES, INCLUDING BOTH THE POLITICAL MATTERS CHINA WANTS TO 
DISCUSS AND THE PRACTICAL DAY-TO-DAY ISSUES SUCH AS FISHING 
RIGHTS THAT TAIWAN IS STRESSING.

BUT CHINA AND TAIWAN REMAIN AS DIVIDED AS EVER ON THE FUNDAMENTAL
QUESTION OF REUNIFICATION.  TAIWAN WANTS TO BE TREATED AS AN 
EQUAL.  CHINA INSISTS TAIWAN IS PART OF CHINA.

ONE POSSIBLE SUBJECT FOR DISCUSSION IN FUTURE TALKS IS AN END TO 
TAIWAN'S BAN ON DIRECT TRADE, TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATION 
WITH CHINA.  BUT TAIWAN THURSDAY SAID THAT, BEFORE THAT CAN 
HAPPEN, CHINA MUST STOP THREATENING TAIWAN MILITARILY AND END ITS
CAMPAIGN TO ISOLATE THE ISLAND DIPLOMATICALLY.  CHINA SHOWS  NO  
SIGNS OF BUDGING ON EITHER OF THOSE ISSUES.  (SIGNED)

NEB/RW/KL

15-Oct-98 9:07 AM EDT (1307 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.