No sour grapes

Joseph Wu Jau-shieh, the chairman of Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council, presents a new booklet, in both Chinese and English, that showcases the island's efforts to ease the cross-strait stalemate.

Mr Wu says the 30-page booklet, entitled Taipei's Olive Branches and printed in simplified Chinese with colourful illustrations, is aimed at countering Beijing's accusations that Chen Shui-bian is to blame for cross-strait tensions because of the provocative pro-independence statements he has made since becoming Taiwanese president in 2000.

'We hope the book invigorates relations,' Mr Wu said.