Leaders of three major opposition parties in Taiwan expressed
Saturday their deep condolences over the death of Wang Daohan, a
renowned man for his contributions to promoting the relations
across the Taiwan Straits.
Wang, president of the mainland-based Association for Relations
Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), died of disease in Shanghai
Saturday morning at the age of 90.
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Wang had played an important role in promoting the cross-strait
relations and made great contributions to the development of
peaceful exchanges across the Taiwan Straits, said Ma Ying-jeou,
chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang Party, in his message of
condolence to the ARATS.
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The ARATS was founded in December 1991 when Wang took the
presidency. In April 1993, Wang and Koo Chen-fu, chairman of the
Taiwan-based Strait Exchange Foundation (SEF), held in Singapore
the first ever high-level, non-governmental talks across the
Straits.
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In October 1998, they held the second talks in Shanghai and reached
a consensus on four points involving dialog across the Straits on
political issues. The talks were known as the Wang-Koo
meeting.
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"With his gentle, rational and innovative style, Mr. Wang had
played a key role in enhancing peaceful exchanges and made
outstanding contribution," said Ma.
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"Both the efforts and the contribution he made will be permanently
admired by all circles of life and the people from the two sides
will remember him forever," Lien Chan, honorary KMT chairman, said
in his message of condolence.
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James Soong, chairman of the Taiwan-based People First Party,
expressed his appreciation and admiration of Wang's efforts for and
contributions to the development of cross-strait relations while
recalling his meeting with Wang in Shanghai in May.
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Yok Mu-ming, chairman of the Taiwan-based New Party, expressed his
gratitude to Wang for opening the door to peace across the Taiwan
Straits.
(Xinhua News Agency December 25, 2005)