Taiwan appoints new top China negotiator

TAIPEI, July 12 (Reuters) Taiwan ruling party legislator Hong Chi-chang took over as the island's top China negotiator today and urged people on both sides to increase contact.

Hong, 55, from the traditionally pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), replaces Chang Chun-hsiung, who became premier in May, as chairman of the semi-governmental Straits Exchange Foundation.

The foundation is in charge of contacting Beijing about matters ranging from direct flights and tourism across the Taiwan Strait to conflicts involving Taiwanese people in China.

Officials from the two sides have no direct contacts because China insists self-ruled Taiwan is part of its territory and threatens occasionally to take it back by force.

''I want to appeal to the Chinese authorities that protecting people's rights and interests should not conflict with political controversy, and to resist or blockade (rights protection) won't bring about peace,'' Hong told a news conference.

He advocated more cross-Strait contact, although the island currently allows selected visitors from China.

REUTERS ny ht1740