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TAIPEI, Taiwan / The China Post / April 4, 2009
A group of 23 high-profile Chinese senior citizens flew into Taipei from Beijing Friday, one day before Tomb-Sweeping Day, for a 10-day visit in the land where they were born but have grown apart from over the past 60 years. (CNA)
The group composed of elite Taiwanese men and women in China, led by Lin Liyun, an adviser to the Beijing-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), arrived at Taipei Songshan Airport to a warm greeting from friends and relatives.
Lin, a member of the Communist Party's Central Committee for five terms and who once served as Japanese secretary to late Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai, is China's most prominent female politician from Taiwan.
Lin thanked “Taiwanese compatriots” for the hospitality she immediately felt upon arriving in Taiwan and expressed hope for a continued turnabout in cross-Taiwan Strait relations.
Since settling in Beijing in 1952, she had previously visited Taiwan only once, in 1999. She still has relatives in Taiwan.
The group's visit to Taiwan, the first of its kind in 60 years, was possible as a result of improved ties between the two countries over the past year.
Hsu Wun-pin, an adviser to President Ma Ying-jeou, helped arrange the group's visit.
Most of the group's members moved to China after 1949, when the Nationalists retreated to Taiwan after losing China's civil war, and had been denied entry to Taiwan several times as a result of the delicate political situation across the Taiwan Strait. Two members of the group had never returned to Taiwan since leaving their hometowns in their youth.
The eldest of the group members is 86 years old and the youngest, 73.
During their 10-day visit in Taiwan, they will tour cultural and scenic attractions, including Sun Moon Lake in central Nantou County, and Taroko National Park and the Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation in eastern Hualien County.
Ma and Tu also arranged to sell some of their own structural notes, government bonds, and corporate bonds to Yuanta Securities at marked-up prices, causing the brokerage firm to lose another NT$330 million.
The five other co-defendants in the case are incumbent or former executives of the Yuanta group. Prosecutors are asking for four years of imprisonment for four of the co-defendants. The Yuanta Group declined to comment on the indictment, saying they had yet to receive the court papers.
It said neither Ma nor Tu had any comments to make in the meantime, and the matter would be handled by their lawyers. Prosecutors raided Yuanta's premises last July. The brokerage firm's parent company, Yuanta Financial Holding Co., at the time said all transactions were conducted in accordance with regulations.
Copyright © 1999 – 2008 The China Post
......
Related report
Elderly Taiwanese in China visit Taiwan after six decades
TAIPEI, Taiwan / Taiwan News / Central News Agency / April 4, 2009
A group of Taiwanese over the age of 70 flew from Beijing to Taiwan today, the day before this year's Tomb-Sweeping Day, for a 10-day visit to search for their roots.
Lin Liyun, an adviser with the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), will serve as group leader. The group's visit to Taiwan, the first of its kind in 60 years, has become possible as a result of improved ties between the two sides over the past year.
A tea party was held yesterday in Beijing by the All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots to see off the travelers - the eldest of whom is 86 and the youngest, 73.
April 4 or 5 every year marks the Tomb-Sweeping Day to remember one's elderly departed.
All 15 people moved to China after 1949 when Taiwan and China split into separate rule, and most of them had been denied entry to Taiwan several times as a result of the delicate political situation across the Taiwan Strait. Two of them have never returned to Taiwan.
Lin, who served as Japanese secretary to the late Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai, visited Taiwan once in 1999 after she settled in Beijing in 1952. She still has relatives in Taiwan.
© 2009 Taiwan News
A group of 23 high-profile Chinese senior citizens flew into Taipei from Beijing Friday, one day before Tomb-Sweeping Day, for a 10-day visit in the land where they were born but have grown apart from over the past 60 years. (CNA)
The group composed of elite Taiwanese men and women in China, led by Lin Liyun, an adviser to the Beijing-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), arrived at Taipei Songshan Airport to a warm greeting from friends and relatives.
Lin, a member of the Communist Party's Central Committee for five terms and who once served as Japanese secretary to late Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai, is China's most prominent female politician from Taiwan.
Lin thanked “Taiwanese compatriots” for the hospitality she immediately felt upon arriving in Taiwan and expressed hope for a continued turnabout in cross-Taiwan Strait relations.
Since settling in Beijing in 1952, she had previously visited Taiwan only once, in 1999. She still has relatives in Taiwan.
The group's visit to Taiwan, the first of its kind in 60 years, was possible as a result of improved ties between the two countries over the past year.
Hsu Wun-pin, an adviser to President Ma Ying-jeou, helped arrange the group's visit.
Most of the group's members moved to China after 1949, when the Nationalists retreated to Taiwan after losing China's civil war, and had been denied entry to Taiwan several times as a result of the delicate political situation across the Taiwan Strait. Two members of the group had never returned to Taiwan since leaving their hometowns in their youth.
The eldest of the group members is 86 years old and the youngest, 73.
During their 10-day visit in Taiwan, they will tour cultural and scenic attractions, including Sun Moon Lake in central Nantou County, and Taroko National Park and the Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation in eastern Hualien County.
Ma and Tu also arranged to sell some of their own structural notes, government bonds, and corporate bonds to Yuanta Securities at marked-up prices, causing the brokerage firm to lose another NT$330 million.
The five other co-defendants in the case are incumbent or former executives of the Yuanta group. Prosecutors are asking for four years of imprisonment for four of the co-defendants. The Yuanta Group declined to comment on the indictment, saying they had yet to receive the court papers.
It said neither Ma nor Tu had any comments to make in the meantime, and the matter would be handled by their lawyers. Prosecutors raided Yuanta's premises last July. The brokerage firm's parent company, Yuanta Financial Holding Co., at the time said all transactions were conducted in accordance with regulations.
Copyright © 1999 – 2008 The China Post
......
Related report
Elderly Taiwanese in China visit Taiwan after six decades
TAIPEI, Taiwan / Taiwan News / Central News Agency / April 4, 2009
A group of Taiwanese over the age of 70 flew from Beijing to Taiwan today, the day before this year's Tomb-Sweeping Day, for a 10-day visit to search for their roots.
Lin Liyun, an adviser with the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), will serve as group leader. The group's visit to Taiwan, the first of its kind in 60 years, has become possible as a result of improved ties between the two sides over the past year.
A tea party was held yesterday in Beijing by the All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots to see off the travelers - the eldest of whom is 86 and the youngest, 73.
April 4 or 5 every year marks the Tomb-Sweeping Day to remember one's elderly departed.
All 15 people moved to China after 1949 when Taiwan and China split into separate rule, and most of them had been denied entry to Taiwan several times as a result of the delicate political situation across the Taiwan Strait. Two of them have never returned to Taiwan.
Lin, who served as Japanese secretary to the late Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai, visited Taiwan once in 1999 after she settled in Beijing in 1952. She still has relatives in Taiwan.
© 2009 Taiwan News
