It is not possible for the leader of the Taiwan authorities to attend the APEC meeting in Shanghai later this year, Zhang Mingqing, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said Wednesday.
Responding to a question from a Taiwanese reporter over the offer by the Taiwanese leader to attend the APEC meeting and to discuss with the mainland side the issue of cross-strait direct links of trade, postal service and transport, Zhang said "there is no such possibility whatsoever."
Zhang explained that there are regulations, precedents and common practices under related APEC memorandums for Taiwanese officials to attend APEC meetings, about which the leader of Taiwan authorities must be very clear.
By attempting to attend the APEC meeting, the leader of the Taiwan authorities is trying to breach the APEC regulations about the presence of Taiwan officials at APEC meetings, said the spokesman.
Zhang described the offer as showing a lack of sincerity on the part of the Taiwan authorities.
He said cross-strait issues are affairs of the Chinese and should be dealt with by the Chinese themselves, and no international venue is needed to discuss such issues.
(Xinhua 05/30/2001)
