All letters and parcels stamped with a "UN for Taiwan" postmark
have been returned to the island, a senior mainland official said
yesterday.
"The island authorities preaching 'Taiwan independence' through
the postal service is an infringement on compatriots' freedom," Fan
Liqing, spokeswoman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State
Council, told a regular press briefing yesterday.
"This has seriously hampered the exchange of letters between
people on the two sides of the Taiwan Straits as well as Taiwan
people's exchanges with other parts of the world," she said.
Ignoring strong condemnation from both the mainland and the
international community, the secessionists forces on the island led
by Chen Shui-bian have been pushing for a referendum on UN
membership under the name of Taiwan, which is considered a step
toward formal "independence".
In the latest push toward "Taiwan independence", the island's
post office started using the "UN for Taiwan" postmark on outgoing
mail six weeks ago.
The Taiwan authorities must shoulder all the consequences from
the incident, said Fan, who made her debut as the first spokeswoman
for the Taiwan Affairs Office.
The postal move has triggered increasing protests from Taiwan
residents as a violation of their freedom of speech and distortion
of their free will.
Many Taiwan businessmen have complained that their businesses
have been affected by the postmark, which interrupted postal
exchanges across the Straits.
Fan, who used to be a senior reporter for the Xinhua News Agency
and was once stationed in Taiwan, also said the mainland plans to
resume shipments of natural sand to Taiwan.
The mainland halted exports in March as excessive exploitation
of the sand in some river beds caused ecological damage. The sand
is widely used in construction and about 90 percent used in Taiwan
is from the mainland.
"Out of consideration for Taiwan... the mainland is considering
resuming sand exports to the island," Fan said.
Tang Wei, a Ministry of Commerce (MOC) official who is in charge
of trade affairs between the mainland and Taiwan, Hong Kong and
Macao, said: "The concerned department is negotiating with
non-governmental organizations in Taiwan on exports. We hope the
sand shortage in Taiwan is eased as soon as possible."
A "proper annual volume" that does not harm resources will be
exported; and the export volume will be reduced annually, said
Liang Shuhe, director of MOC's external trade department.
The mainland hopes that Taiwan importers promise not to sell the
sand to other countries or regions, Liang added.
(Xinhua News Agency November 15, 2007)