PNCR claims:
Corbin’s Taiwan visit `non-issue’
-- but government tables related motion in Parliament
Guyana Chronicle
August 6, 2004
IT’S a non-issue.
That’s the line the main Opposition People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) maintained yesterday on the recent controversial visit to Taiwan by its Leader, Mr Robert Corbin.
But the Guyana Government yesterday registered disapproval of the visit by circulating a motion in Parliament calling on the National Assembly to disassociate itself from the action taken by Mr Corbin, a PNCR Member of Parliament.
The Taiwan trip has chilled the once warm ties between the PNCR and China which has registered strong protest at the visit.
Chinese Ambassador, Mr Song Tao, whose tenure here ends on August 15, cancelled a scheduled Wednesday courtesy call on Corbin at PNCR headquarters because of “health reasons”, according to a spokesman at the Chinese Embassy here.
But the envoy that day called on Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Mr Reepu Daman Persaud and yesterday continued his round of farewell meetings by calling on Georgetown Mayor Hamilton Green, a former PNCR number two.
PNCR Chairman, Mr Vincent Alexander, yesterday argued that his leader’s trip to Taiwan was a non-issue which has been given undue attention by the government and by sections of the local media.
At the party’s weekly press conference at its Congress Place headquarters, he said the PNCR did not consider that there was an impasse with the Chinese Embassy.
"(We) have been (as) explicit on this matter as we could be. Mr Corbin made a private visit to Taiwan and that is our position on the issue", Alexander declared.
The party last week said Corbin went on a "private visit to Taiwan to observe developments there."
It said he "had the opportunity to learn more about a country which was until recently wholly dependent on rice and sugar but which transformed itself into one of the fastest growing economies of the world, lessons which may be useful for Guyana."
In a statement Saturday, press officer of the Chinese Embassy, Mr Zhou Xing expressed "strong dissatisfaction" over the visit.
"We are very concerned with Mr. Corbin's visit to Taiwan," said Mr Zhou.
He rejected Corbin’s statement that his visit was "private".
As the PNCR Leader and Opposition Leader of the Parliament, "his identity can't be changed by simple words like `private' visit,” Zhou said.
He pointed out that "the Taiwan question bears directly on China's sovereignty and territorial integrity".
"Indeed, it is the political foundation for the friendly relations and co-operation between China and Guyana and is in their mutual interests", the embassy spokesman said.
According to Zhou, the Taiwanese authority has never ceased its separatist attempt by sabotaging the relations and friendship between China and countries that have diplomatic relations on the pretext of developing economic ties.
Corbin also defended his Taiwan visit in a letter to the press arguing that the PNCR has held firmly to the principle that “it is answerable and accountable only to its members and the people of Guyana whose interests are always put first in arriving at its decisions.”
“Consequently, while the PNCR values the views of all, our party will not be bullied or dictated to by any individual, organisation or government”, he declared.
He indicated that he was free to travel wherever he wants, adding that it was “quite inappropriate, therefore, for anyone to assume the right to determine where the Leader of the PNCR should travel in his personal capacity”.
Regarding the ambassador’s calling off the Wednesday scheduled courtesy visit with Corbin, Alexander yesterday said, "We will not doubt the gentleman's illness. In fact he had indicated that he will visit us subsequently so we take it for what it's worth."
He said the PNCR has always had good relations with the Chinese and it is the party in the Caribbean which did the most for the recognition of China [and] for the establishment of diplomatic relations with China. He said the party remains committed to its support for a `One China, Two Systems’ policy.
"In China," stated Alexander, "with Hong Kong having been given back to mainland China, you have one China - which for all intents and purposes tends to include Taiwan - and two systems meaning that (China) has accommodated the free market system in Hong Kong..."
He said the lessons learned from Corbin's visit to Taiwan, over which China claims sovereignty, will help in preparing the PNCR for "government in the near future."
The motion circulated in the National Assembly yesterday seeks to get Corbin to reaffirm his commitment to maintaining good relationships between the governments of Guyana and China and for Parliament to express continued support and endorsement of the `One China’ policy.
It notes that successive governments in both countries have raised the level of cooperation to new heights and that a Guyana parliamentary delegation, including members of the governing People’s Progressive Party/Civic and the PNCR, visited China earlier this year.
The PPP charged in a press statement Tuesday that the PNCR wanted to seek funds through the visit.
“The PNCR and its leader must come clean and say to the nation who paid for Mr Corbin’s visit and how much cash…his party received”, the PPP declared.