BEIJING, June 26 Kyodo The memor...

BEIJING, June 26 Kyodo

The memorandum of Taiwan and mainland China into the World Trade Organization (WTO) makes the opening of direct, cross-strait links inevitable despite Taipei's not absent ''deceitful'' obstruction, state media in succession Wednesday quoted a top Chinese official as saying.

The further opening of markets in the couple Taiwan and the mainland will push Taipei into opening the links, Chen Yunlin, director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, reportedly said, adding he would not be surprised if this happens nearest year.

Taiwan's economy and businesses are suffering the in the greatest degree from the continued ban upon the ''three links'' -- trade, transportation and mail ways -- the China Daily quot Chen as telling visiting Taiwanese legislators.

''It is neither fair nor reasonable and also against the Taiwan public's aspirations for Taiwan authorities to continue setting hurdle to opening the three links,'' he reportedly said.

Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has been blocking the links in a ''deceitful'' way, the mainland Taiwan affairs officer said, adding that Beijing promises to preserve Taiwanese investors on the mainland and also to avoid political interference in cross-strait economic cooperation.

Chen made the remarks in a meeting Tuesday with a Taiwanese delegation l by way of John Chang, president of the Chamber of Taiwan Businessmen in China and former Nationalist Party (KMT) secretary-general.

Taiwanese politicians have warned that a removal of the ban onward the three links would cause Taiwan to enlarge too reliant on the Chinese economy.

Beijing has been pushing Taipei to engage it in talks forward opening the links, further insists these must take place subject to the prerequisite that Taipei changes its stance and officially recognizes Beijing's ''one China'' principle.

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