Taiwan News
Date: 2016-03-06
By: Central News Agency

China will not make direct contact with Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) unless the party changes the Taiwan independence clause in its party platform, the top Chinese negotiator with Taiwan said Sunday.

Chen Deming, president of the Beijing-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), made clear Beijing’s stance toward Taiwan’s ruling party-to-be when answering media questions before joining the second-day session of the National People’s Congress.

Asked whether there are other communication channels between China and the DPP, which had a landslide victory in both the presidential and legislative elections in January, Chen said that the mainland’s attitude toward the DPP is “clear and consistent.”

The mainland “will not contact (the DPP) directly” until such time that the latter changes the Taiwan independence clause in its party platform, Chen said.

Asked if he will visit Taiwan before May 20 — when President-elect Tsai Ing-wen, who doubles as the DPP’s chairwoman, will assume office as president of Taiwan — Chen replied that for the time being, he has not thought about the issue.     [FULL  STORY]