flew to China on Tuesday to try to win Chinese leaders over to his idea of establishing a regional common market as part of reconciliation efforts. "I feel we need to let economic and trade ties between the two sides build a long-term, stable mechanism. This mechanism is a common market," Siew, who stepped down as premier last May, told reporters shortly before boarding a plane for Macau en route to Beijing, Reuters reported.
"There still exists too many unnecessary risks and uncertainties," said Siew, a heavyweight in Taiwan politics who lost a bid for the vice-presidency in elections last year.
Taiwan investors have poured US$50 billion into China since rapprochement began in the late 1980s, lured by low land and labour costs as well as a common language and culture.
But Taiwan investments in China have no legal protection due to simmering political tensions.
Taipei and Beijing set up semi-official bodies in the early 1990s to resolve trade and other disputes, but Beijing angrily froze dialogue in July 1999 after then Taiwan President Lee Teng-hui redefined bilateral ties as "special state to state."
Taiwan still limits investment in strategic industries and infrastructure in China and bans direct trade and transport links on national security grounds.
Siew called his first visit to China a "journey to (establish) communication," but said he was neither representing the government nor any political party.
Siew added that he would not relay any messages on behalf of the administration of President Chen Shui-bian, who swept to power in elections last year ending more than five decades of Nationalist Party rule.
However, he told Reuters last week his idea of a regional common market has the backing of President Chen, who graced the launch of his Cross-Straits Common Market Foundation in March. The foundation was set up with Siew and 19 business leaders donating T$5 million each.
Siew, the second vice-chairman of Taiwan's main opposition Nationalist Party to visit China in less than six months, said he would not discuss any investment plans during his one-week visit.
Taiwan media said Siew would meet Chinese leaders during his visit. He will stay at the government's Diaoyutai Guest House in Beijing, where visiting dignitaries are put up.
Siew was accompanied by a high-powered delegation of about 20 business leaders, including Morris Chang, chairman of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, the world's top microchip foundry and the island's most heavily capitalised firm.
Beijing considers Taiwan a breakaway province and has threatened to attack if the island declared independence or dragged its feet on unification talks. Taipei says it has been a sovereign state for decades.
Ties between Taiwan and China became touchier after U.S. President George W. Bush pledged last month to help the tiny island of 23 million people defend itself against giant rival China and agreed to arm it with submarines and destroyers.
Bush's move riled Beijing and threatened to prolong 22 months of stalemate between Taipei and Beijing, bitter rivals since the Chinese civil war that ended in 1949 with the Communists routing the Nationalists who fled the mainland into exile.
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