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4. CHIU EXPLAINED THAT THE MEETING BETWEEN THE TWO CHAIRMAN, WHICH HE WOULD BE PREPARING, WAS VERY MUCH TO DISCUSS PRACTICAL ISSUES ARISING FROM THE GROWING TRADE WITH, AND INVESTMENT IN, THE MAINLAND. THEY WOULD HAVE NO POLITICAL CONTENT AND THE GOVERNMENT HAD BEEN AT PAINS TO EXPLAIN THIS TO THE OPPOSITION. WHEN I SAW THE CHAIRMAN OF THE DEMOCRATIC PROGRESSIVE PARTY (DPP) TODAY, HE WAS CLEARLY MISTRUSTFUL OF THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTIONS. HSU SAID THAT THE OPPOSITION HAD ASKED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE TALKS BUT THIS HAD BEEN REFUSED ON THE GROUNDS THAT THE MAINLAND AFFAIRS COUNCIL, WHICH WOULD IN EFFECT BE GIVING THE SEF ITS INSTRUCTIONS, WOULD BE REPORTING TO THE LEGISLATIVE YUAN AND THIS SHOULD SUFFICE. HSU SAID THAT WHILST THE DPP ACCEPTED THAT THERE HAD TO BE SOME CONTACT WITH THE MAINLAND OVER ISSUES OF A PRACTICAL AND HUMAN NATURE, IT WAS TOTALLY OPPOSED TO ANY DISCUSSIONS WHICH MIGHT LEAD TO UNIFICATION. THE DPP WANTED TAIWAN TO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MAINLAND WHICH WOULD BE SIMILAR TO ITS RELATIONS WITH ANY OTHER COUNTRY.
5. IN THE MEANTIME, MEMBERSHIP OF THE UN REMAINS A POPULAR THEME HERE AND ONE THAT IS SUPPORTED BY ALL PARTIES. AS A FIRST STEP, THE TAIWANESE WILL, ACCORDING TO FOREIGN MINISTER CHIEN, NOW SEEK MEMBERSHIP OF THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND, THE IBRD, THE IDA AND THE INTERNATIONAL FINANCE CORPORATION. MEMBERSHIP OF THESE ORGANISATIONS WOULD BE SEEN AS STEPPING STONES TO FULL UN PARTICIPATION.
6. IN A SEPARATE STATEMENT, CHIEN SAID THAT IT WOULD BE TAIWAN'S INTENTION TO RETAIN ITS OFFICIAL PRESENCE IN HONG KONG AFTER THE TRANSFER OF POWER TO CHINA IN 1997.
7. COMMENT
IT IS DIFFICULT TO READ INTO ANY OF THIS A PARTICULAR POLICY OTHER THAN TRYING TO STRIKE UP A DIALOGUE WITH THE MAINLAND WHILST BEEFING UP TAIWAN'S EXTERNAL RELATIONS. THE TWO MAY EVENTUALLY INCOMPATIBLE. HOWEVER, IT IS CLEAR THAT THE DPP WILL KEEP A VERY CLOSE EYE ON THE GOVERNMENT AND NOT HESITATE TO MAKE AN ISSUE OF ANY GESTURE OF ALLOWING THE PRC TO HAVE A SAY IN TAIWANESE AFFAIRS.
8. CHEYNE CHIU IS CLEARLY A POLISHED AND SEASONED OPERATOR AND MUCH MORE IN TUNE WITH THE GOVERNMENT THAN HIS PREDECESSOR. HE WAS PREVIOUSLY DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL TO THE PRESIDENT AND WAS, I UNDERSTAND, SELECTED FOR THE SEF POST BECAUSE OF HIS PROXIMITY
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