【ABC】Taiwan, China heads break 60yr silence

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Taiwan,China heads break 60yr silence
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/07/28/2638112.htm?section=justin

Posted Tue Jul 28, 2009 12:09am AEST

The leaders of Taiwan and China Monday exchanged theirfirst public messages in 60 years, officials and a report said,reflecting warming ties that observers say could pave the way for anunprecedented summit.

Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou received a congratulatory messagefrom Chinese President Hu Jintao after being elected leader of theisland's ruling Kuomintang (KMT) party at the weekend, state-run mediain China said.

"I would like to congratulate you on your election to the Kuomintangchairmanship," Mr Hu was quoted as saying in his message, delivered inhis capacity as general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party.

"I sincerely hope that our parties will continue to push forpeaceful development of cross-strait ties and mutual political trust,and jointly work for the welfare of the people of the two sides so asto lead to the great renaissance of the Chinese people."

Mr Ma replied to the message, saying cross-Strait relations were on the "track of peace," according to KMT officials.

The leaders of China and Taiwan engaged in discreet communication inthe mid-1980s, as they tried to improve ties following decades ofhostility. But any back-channel notes exchanged then were not madepublic.

"The messages certainly have crucial symbolic significance," GeorgeTsai, political science professor at Chinese Culture University inTaipei, said.

"It shows that the leaders of the two sides can communicate in sucha way following decades of hostilities" that sometimes edged towardsoutright war, he said.

Mr Tsai said that the steps were also important in that "by furtheroffering olive branches to each other, the two sides can continue toimprove the atmosphere and pave the way for a summit meeting in thefuture."

However Tsai cautioned, despite the move, which followed Mr Ma'selection as KMT leader on Sunday, much still needs to be done beforeany summit-style meet.

China and Taiwan have been split since 1949 when then KMT leaderChiang Kai-shek fled to the island, leaving the mainland in the grip ofMao Zedong's communists.

Outgoing KMT leader Wu Poh-hsiung met Mr Hu on the mainland last year, in the highest-level contact in nearly six decades.

Ties with China have improved dramatically since Mr Ma came to powerlast year at the head of a nationalist KMT government to replace thepro-independence Chen Shui-bian, whose provocative rhetoric had irkedBeijing.

Mr Ma has received a congratulatory message from Mr Hu once before,when he was made KMT leader in 2005. But he was serving then as mayorof Taipei, not as Taiwan's president.

- AFP

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