Beijing urged Taipei to "obey the will of the people" yesterday and drop its tougher line against the mainland, on the eve of the inauguration of the island's new "premier" Su Tseng-chang.

Li Weiyi, spokesman of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, warned the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration against "adopting practices that run counter to the wishes and interests of Taiwan compatriots."

He said people on both sides share the common aspiration for promoting closer economic links as well as the peaceful and stable development of cross-Straits relations.

"We hope the Taiwan authorities will recognize the trend of the times, obey the will of the people... and boost cross-Straits exchanges and cooperation, as well as ease and develop cross-Straits ties," Li told a regular news conference.

The new "cabinet," headed by Su, takes office today.

Taiwan "president" Chen Shui-bian appointed Su, a former DPP chairman, as the island's fifth "premier" since 2000 in a bid to avoid becoming a lame duck following the ruling party's crushing defeat in local elections last month.

Chen signalled a tougher policy towards the mainland in his New Year's Day speech by tightening control over cross-Straits economic relations. Su's new "cabinet" is widely expected to follow Chen's mainland policy of imposing restrictions on trade exchanges.

Li, however, condemned Chen's policy for ultimately undermining Taiwan's economy and impairing the immediate interests of the Taiwanese people.

"Deliberately impeding cross-Straits economic and trade cooperation is a move that puts personal interests at the expense of the interests of Taiwan compatriots," Li said.

The spokesman pointed to the fact that the island's current economic development has greatly benefited from its stronger economic cooperation with the mainland.

For instance, latest statistics suggest that Taiwan recorded a trade surplus of US$58 billion with the mainland in 2005.

"Taiwan has gained an accumulated trade surplus of US$330 billion with the mainland, even more than Taiwan's current foreign exchange reserve," Li said. "Without this surplus, Taiwan would surely have a deficit in its overall trade."

He noted that the Taiwan authorities should have a clear idea about how the huge trade surplus with the mainland has directly boosted Taiwan's economy, created job opportunities and raised the incomes of local residents.

At the news briefing, Li welcomed Taiwan business people to invest in Olympic projects and related commercial activities ahead of the 2008 Games in Beijing.

"We welcome Taiwan athletes to compete in the 2008 Olympic Games, and also welcome other Taiwan compatriots to come and serve as volunteers for the Games," he added.

Li said the mainland will seriously consider allowing the Olympic torch relay to cross Taiwan. "The Beijing Olympic organizing committee will fully consider the desire of the Taiwan compatriots when designing the route of the Olympic torch relay to enable them to share the joy and glory of the sacred Olympic flame," he said.

In a related development, former DPP chairman Lin Yi-hsiung quit the party yesterday, saying infighting and lack of rational debate had led to social instability and widening differences between the island's ethnic groups.

He said there is "no longer any meaning" in continuing his party membership since he has no intention to run for future office.

To date, three former DPP chairmen Lin, Hsu Hsin-liang and Shi Ming-te have withdrawn from the party after leaving the DPP chairmanship.

(China Daily January 25, 2006)