李登輝宋楚瑜

Associated Press

Taiwanese defense company seeks China deal

By DEBBY WU , 06.22.09, 08:10 AM EDT

Former Taiwan President and political rival hold secret weekend meeting
Taiwan News, Staff Writer 2009-06-22 07:39 PM

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- The producer of a strategically important Taiwanese jet fighter said Monday it was discussing a deal on commercial aircraft manufacture with a Chinese company, despite concern from the island's military.

Li Shih-chang of the government-held Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation told The Associated Press his company met with China's state-owned Commercial Aircraft Corporation during the Shanghai air show in May.

"We are still talking about a possible concept for commercial aircraft, but there has not been a deal yet," Li said. "We will not give up on any possible business opportunity."

AIDC made Taiwan's Indigenous Defense Fighter jets on a now discontinued production line, and remains responsible for IDF maintenance.

Li's statement comes amid steadily improving ties between Taiwan and the mainland. Since coming into office 13 months ago, President Ma Ying-jeou has jettisoned his predecessor's pro-independence policies, in favor of much greater political and economic engagement with China.

Ministry of Defense spokesman Yu Sy-tue questioned the wisdom of any deal between AIDC and the Chinese company.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Former President Lee Teng-hui and former Taiwan Governor James Soong had a two-and-a-half hour secret meeting over the weekend, reports said Monday, firing up speculation about a new third force in politics. Lee and Soong were close political allies during the late 1980s and the 1990s, but the relationship soured as Lee pushed through the abolition of the Taiwan Provincial Government, in effect destroying Soong’s power base.Soong also faced accusations of massive embezzlement from the KMT in a dispute which overshadowed the 2000 presidential elections. Some reports linked Sunday’s meeting to a NT$240 million check from the scandal which is due for release by the court next year. Under present circumstances, it is unclear who will receive the check, Lee or the Kuomintang. Soong broke away from the KMT and ran as an independent candidate while Lee backed Vice President Lien Chan as the official KMT candidate. After both lost to opposition Democratic Progressive Party candidate Chen Shui-bian, Lee left the KMT and set up his own Taiwan Solidarity Union, which worked closely with the DPP. Soong formed the People First Party but later reconciled with the KMT, running on a joint ticket with Lien in the 2004 presidential elections, but losing again to Chen. The two rivals did not meet again in public until last April 13 at a KMT event marking the anniversary of late President Chiang Ching-kuo, when they reportedly only exchanged greetings and hand shakes. Lee Hung-chun, a lawmaker formerly close to Soong, said the two had told each other at that event that they would like to have a separate meeting. Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng welcomed the meeting. “If you always remember past pain, it will continue to hurt,” Wang said. The DPP expressed surprise at the sudden reports of reconciliation. Opposition chief legislative whip Chai Trong-rong said he was amazed how two politicians who used to call each other names succeeded in meeting for more than two hours. Lee’s supporters in the TSU said it was normal for politicians of any stripe to visit a former president. Reports of the longer weekend meeting fired up rumors about plans to form a “third force” in Taiwan politics. If KMT legislators known as supporters of Lee and Soong joined forces, they would easily outweigh lawmakers close to President Ma Ying-jeou, cable station Sanlih reported. Former DPP Chairman and anti-Chen protest leader Shih Ming-teh and prominent businessman Winston Wong, son of late Formosa Plastics founder Y.C. Wang, recently also visited Lee. Both Shih and Wong have been named by the media in efforts to found new political movements.