Beijing wants to send official to Taiwan

China still wants to send a senior official to Taiwan, even after the island's government refused it a month ago. Beijing wants to send Chen Yunlin, one of the country's top Taiwan policy makers, to an agricultural forum to help promote ties between the two governments, AFP reported, quoting the Association for Relations across the Taiwan Straits. If allowed, Chen would be the highest mainland official to visit the island since the 1949 split. "We hope that the Taiwan authorities will not use the fact that the two sides are incapable of consulting with each other as a reason to prevent Chen from going to Taiwan," said a spokesman through a statement on the association's website. Taiwanese Premier Su Tseng-chang rejected the visit earlier this month, citing Beijing's hostility to the island.