Qian Qichen meets ex-Taiwan `premier'
( 2001-05-11 15:06) (7)
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| Former Taiwan "Premier" Vincent Siew (left) meets Chinese Vice-Premier Qian Qichen at the Zhongnanhai leadership compound in Beijing May 11. Siew arrived in Beijing on Tuesday to try to win mainland leaders over to his idea of establishing a regional common market as part of reconciliation efforts. [Reuters] |
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Former Taiwanese ``premier'' Vincent Siew, who is in China on an eight-day visit, met foreign policy expert Vice-Premier Qian Qichen on Friday, a spokesman for Siew said.
The meeting lasted an hour beginning at 11:00 a.m. (0300 GMT) and took place in Zhongnanhai, the compound northwest of Beijing's Tiananmen Square where top Chinese leaders live and work.
"They mainly discussed economics and trade-related issues," said Siew's spokesman.
Qian, a former foreign minister, is the chief policy maker on Taiwan.
However, remarks Qian made to a visiting Taiwan delegation in January were interpreted by the delegates as a suggestion to leave politics aside and step up contacts between non-government entities on both sides.
Siew arrived on Tuesday and held a speech the day after at a symposium at Beijing University, calling for a common market between Taiwan and the mainland.
Siew, also vice-chairman of Taiwan's Kuomintang party, will fly to China's largest city Shanghai on Saturday.
Following a visit to South China's Shenzhen special economic zone early next week, he is scheduled to return to Taiwan on Wednesday.
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