strong delegation, Lien set off to China Tuesday for an eight-day historic visit that takes him to Nanjing, Beijing, Xian and Shanghai. Lien, who paid tribute to the late founder of the Chinese republic at his mausoleum in Nanjing on Wednesday, is scheduled to meet Chinese President Hu Jintao on Friday. The Chen government has been suspicious about the meeting, fearing it would offset its efforts in trying to portray Beijing a trouble-maker for enacting the hostile law against Taiwan. Taiwan has claimed the law would escalate cross-strait tension and threaten regional stability. But by inviting Lien to a "journey of peace" visit, Beijing has succeeded in creating the impression that it is willing to mend fences with Taiwan, observers said. Taiwan and China split at the end of a civil war in 1949, but Beijing still regards the island as a Chinese province that must be brought back to its fold, if necessary by force. Meanwhile, Taiwanese Premier Frank Hsieh demanded that the head of the airport police and other commanding officers step down for failing to maintain the law and order at the island's international airport, where a bloody clash broke out between pro-independence protesters and Lien's supporters. More than 15 people were injured when thousands of supporters from the two camps clashed at the airport while Lien led his delegation to depart for China.
