Taipei, Jan. 16 (CNA) President Lee Teng-hui on Sunday urged mainland Chinese leaders to heed Taiwan people's feelings and concepts and carefully study Taiwan's history in order to boost peaceful exchanges across the Taiwan Strait.
Lee made the call while meeting with a US congressional delegation led by Senator Tim Hutchinson (R-Ark.)
Noting that the Republic of China has been an independent sovereign state since its establishment in 1912, Lee said this is why he defined the current cross-strait ties as a "special state-to-state relationship" in an interview with a German radio station last year.
In line with the definition, Lee said the two sides of the Taiwan Strait should treat each other with respect and resolve their disputes through peaceful negotiations based on the principles of reciprocity and parity.
Lee further said the ROC government and people cannot accept the Beijing-proposed "one country, two systems" unification scheme which downgrades the ROC as a local-level government.
Lee's definition has drawn furious reaction from Beijing and some people have thus blamed Lee for having made the "special state-to-state" remarks to provoke communist China and escalate tension in the Taiwan Strait.
During Sunday's talks with visiting US senators, Lee snubbed all those allegations. He stressed that he has spared no effort to promote peaceful cross-strait exchanges since he assumed the presidency in 1988.
Throughout his stint as the ROC head of state, Lee said he has consistently handled cross-strait affairs based on the principle that any move should be conducive to peaceful cross-strait exchanges.
With an aim to realize the ultimate goal of national unification, Lee said the ROC has set up the National Unification Council and formulated the National Unification Guidelines.
"We believe that the time for China's unification would be mature when the people on the mainland can enjoy freedom, democracy, human rights and equitable distribution of wealth like their Taiwan compatriots," Lee noted.
Members of the US delegation also included Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Sen. Michael Enzi (R-Wyo.)
As this was the three senators' first visit to Taiwan, President Lee took time to brief them on the ROC's current state. Lee said the ROC managed to remain largely unscathed in 1997-98 Asian financial crisis mainly because of its strenuous efforts to promote economic liberalization and globalization over the past decade.
Lee further said although the ROC's economic growth declined to about 5.3 percent or 5.4 percent in 1999 due to the devastating September 21 earthquake, its economic prospects remain bright.
"With a steady global economic recovery and continued post-quake domestic reconstruction, we believe that our economic growth rate could reach 6.3 percent this year," Lee said.
Following Taiwan's political democratization, Lee went on, all local people have equal opportunity to develop their potential. "And this has become another major driving force behind our further economic development," he added.
Lee also told his guests that after his presidential term expires this May, he will actively take part in activities of non-governmental organizations and help under-privileged local groups develop their careers and resolve their problems.
In addition, Lee said he hopes to return to school to study biology and genetic engineering.
Before the end of the meeting, Lee also expressed his gratitude for the longtime US congressional support for the ROC as well as US assistance in the island's post-earthquake relief work.