TAIPEI, Taiwan — The highest-ranking Chinese official to visit Taiwan in six decades got a taste of the island’s raucous democracy Monday as China protesters waved signs, called him a communist bandit and rallied outside the legislature.
The Chinese envoy, Chen Yunlin, was mostly insulated from the noisy crowds of Taiwan independence supporters, who were blocked or dragged away by security forces. About 5,000 police were guarding the capital, Taipei, during Chen’s five-day trip.
“I am bringing the goodwill wishes to Taiwan’s 23 million compatriots from the mainland’s 1.3 billion people,” said Chen, head of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait, a quasi-government agency that negotiates with the island.
Making sure that Chen’s visit went smoothly was extremely important to Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou. He was elected in March, promising voters he would ease tensions with China and forge closer trade ties with the huge neighbor, just 100 miles across the Taiwan Strait.
The Chinese envoy was expected to sign a series of economic agreements today, while avoiding prickly political issues that stymied previous efforts to talk.
It has taken six decades for a high-ranking Chinese official to visit this island because deeply rooted hostilities and suspicions have prevented such exchanges.
China and Taiwan have been ruled separately since the Communists won a bloody civil war in 1949 and took over the mainland. Beijing has demanded that Taiwan eventually unify or face a punishing attack. The threat has made the Taiwan Strait one of Asia’s most dangerous potential flash points.
A conflict could quickly involve the U.S., which has long warned China it might defend the island.
Although political relations have been in a deep freeze for decades, business ties have expanded rapidly in the past 20 years. Many companies and moderate middle-class Taiwanese have favored friendlier relations with China.
