[Mb-civic] CBC News - CHINA GREETS TAIWANESE POLITICIAN WITH OPEN ARMS

Tue Apr 26 16:18:15 PDT 2005

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CHINA GREETS TAIWANESE POLITICIAN WITH OPEN ARMS
WebPosted Tue Apr 26 08:06:07 2005

NANJING, China---China treated the Taiwanese opposition leader like a
head of state, giving him flowers and the red-carpet treatment as a
historic visit got underway Tuesday.

Lien Chan's arrival in Nanjing to kick off an eight-day trip was carried
on live television.

This is the first visit to China's mainland by a leader of the National
Party since its forces fled to the island of Taiwan after being defeated
by Mao Zedong's Communist forces in 1949.

 INDEPTH: China and Taiwan

Nanjing was China's capital when the National Party ruled the nation.

Among other appointments, Lien will meet with China's president,
Hu Jintao.

In recent months, tensions between China and Taiwan have been growing.

China has not ruled out attacking the island, which calls itself the
Republic of China, if Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian pursues a bid
for formal independence.

Before Lien left Taiwan for the Chinese visit Tuesday, protesters opposed
to the trip jostled with his supporters at Taipei's airport.

Several people were injured as eggs and stones were thrown, police said.

Chen has threatened to charge Lien with treason if he attempts to speak
for Taiwan or sign any deals during his trip.

The National Party, which formed the government of Taiwan for more than
50 years before Chen's election in 2000, once banned people from visiting
the Chinese mainland.

The party now supports closer ties with Beijing, which Mao's communists
chose as China's capital.