Taipei, Feb. 14 (CNA) An upcoming meeting between Lien Chan, an honorary chairman of Taiwan's ruling Kuomintang, and China's President Xi Jinping in Beijing next week, will be a non-governmental exchange, and Lien has not been assigned any mission by the government during the visit, Lien's spokesman Ting Yuan-chao said Friday.

Lien will lead a delegation from Taiwan to visit the Chinese mainland on Feb. 17, when he will meet with Zhang Zhijun, head of the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office.

The next day, Lien is scheduled to meet with Xi at the Diaoyutai State Guest House in Beijing.

The hororay KMT chairman has told President Ma Ying-jeou duing a Lunar New Year meeting on Jan. 31 about his visit to Beijing, Ting said.

He added that Ma said he knew about the matter in advance through a channel and believed it was a good thing to carry out more exchanges and communication between the two sides across the Taiwan Strait.

However, Ting said that Lien will not represent any politicians or specific political parties on the visit and has not been appointed any mission.

"We'll only engage in non-governmental exchanges," he added.

Asked whether Lien's son, Sean Lien, the most popular potential candidate in the race for Taipei mayor later this year, will accompany him on the visit, Ting said Sean Lien has no plan to visit China this year.

If Sean Lien wants to enter the Taipei mayoral race, he will have many things to prepare for and therefore he will not join the trip to China, Ting added.

As to whether Sean Lien has decided to join the race, Ting said it was up to Sean Lien to announce his decision.

Asked whether the timing for Lien's visit to the mainland is sensitive given the seven-in-one local elections are to be held on Nov. 29, Ting said he has raised the issue with Lien Chan, but the honorary KMT chairman responded: "What should we be worried about?"

Lien said "We pay the visit not for any individuals, any political parties, or any specific groups. We can make it public and open," according to Ting.

Ting said Lien Chan hopes to do things that are good for both Taiwan and China and will do his best to bring benefits to people on the two sides across the Taiwan Strait.

The delegation will be composed of more than 80 business leaders and representives of civil groups, including Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. Chairman Terry Gou, Buddhist Master Hsing Yun and EVA Airways Corp. Chairman Chang Kuo-wei.

(By Lee Shu-hua and Evelyn Kao)
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