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China's Hu calls for military exchanges with Taiwan
2008-12-30
BEIJING (AFP) - Chinese President Hu Jintao called Wednesday for military dialogue with Taiwan, in another sign of rapidly improving ties between the former arch enemies. "The two sides can pick the right time to engage in exchanges on military issues and explore setting up a military and security mechanism to build mutual trust," Hu said. This would help "improve the situation in the Taiwan Straits and lessen military and security concerns" he said in a speech broadcast live on national television. Hu made the call in an address to mark the 30th anniversary of a message from China to "compatriots in Taiwan" which called for reunification of the two sides by peaceful means. China and Taiwan have been governed separately since the end of a civil war in 1949 but Beijing considers the island part of its territory and is determined to get it back, by force if necessary. Relations have improved since Ma Ying-jeou, a politician from Taiwan's Beijing-friendly Kuomintang party, assumed the island's presidency in May. Hu and Lien Chan, the then Taiwan opposition leader from the Kuomintang, issued a joint communique in 2005 calling for the establishment of a mechanism to improve mutual trust and avoid military conflict. Taiwan's defence ministry did not immediately react to Hu's remarks Wednesday. Hu also urged Taiwan's pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party, the island's main opposition force, to "clearly understand the situation and stop secessionist activities". "If the party could abandon its 'Taiwan independence' stance, we would make a positive response," he said. Hu also called growing economic interaction with Taiwan, a major source of investment, especially along the export-dependent east coast of the mainland. "We continue to welcome and support Taiwan companies' business in the mainland and encourage mainland enterprises to invest in Taiwan," Hu said. "We expect to normalise economic relations across the Strait and establish an economic cooperation mechanism." As part of the recent rapprochement, the two sides this month began direct daily flights, postal and shipping services, in a move expected to boost trade ties.
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