Press hails landmark Taiwan visit

The press see this meeting as a significant moment

Taipei and Hong Kong papers wonder how the Chinese representative will address the Taiwanese leader. An earlier report had suggested he would not use the title of "president". Two Hong Kong papers urge him to be "magnanimous" in his choice of language.

Some pro-independence sections of the Taiwanese press condemn the visit, seeing it as a betrayal of their cause. However other Taiwanese commentators urge pragmatism, with one paper saying independence is not likely to happen soon.

Chen's trip to Taiwan on behalf of the mainland for talks on cross-straits affairs is of guiding significance and represents another milestone in the history of the development of cross-straits relations.

Cross-strait relations have had a substantive breakthrough... The improvement of cross-strait relations is a good dispeller of the so-called "China threat", and also a vivid display of China's national image as a responsible power.

The key question is whether Chen respects the feelings of Taiwanese and whether he will address Ma [Ying-jeou] as "president".

Return as far as possible to the real axis of the Chiang-Chen talks and do not let a number of side issues blur the overall focus. For example, the issue of Ma and Chen's mutual "titles".

If Ma Ying-jeou� is not addressed by Chen Yunlin with the equivalent title of "President Ma", this may disappoint mainstream public opinion in Taiwan... Beijing should have the magnanimity to genuinely respect popular sentiments in Taiwan.

What Chen Yunlin should do first is to recognise and accept the historical reality that the two sides of the strait have been divided for nearly 60 years. His words and actions must also be extremely cautious and show the spirit of equality and mutual benefit in all respects. He must make the people of Taiwan feel "respected".

Under the Ma government's arrangements, the Chiang-Chen meeting seems to have become a Kuomintang-CCP meeting in disguise, or even worse, a surrender ceremony to welcome the envoy of a suzerain state to Taiwan to sign a surrender treaty.

Realism is Taiwan's only effective viewpoint, and we must face up to the reality of China's existence and influence... Taiwan independence will be impossible to achieve for some time, and this cruel reality should be faced bravely.

Unification is not going to come any time soon; attaining this necessary goal is guaranteed to take considerable time. No matter how lengthy the process is, though, every effort has to be made on both sides of the Taiwan Strait to make it as smooth as possible.

BBC Monitoringselects and translates news from radio, television, press, news agencies and the internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages. It is based in Caversham, UK, and has several bureaux abroad.

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