As a matter of fact, Lai didn't confirm the Ma-Chen meeting, which P.K. Chiang, chairman of the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), hinted would take place on or around November 1.

To Lai, how Ma and Chen address each other is a very touchy issue.

Kuomintang and SEF officials tend to let Ma and Chen address each other as "Mister." Lai fears that title isn't dignified enough for the president, who is head of state like Hu Jintao.

When Chiang met Hu in Beijing, he addressed the latter as "President Hu." That established the tradition.

But that tradition doesn't apply to the Ma-Chen meeting, which is likely to take place at the Taipei Guest House on Ketagalan Avenue, which leads to the Office of the President.

The ARATS chairman is unlikely to be forced to call Ma "President Ma." That's why Lai equivocated, when asked how Ma and Chen would call each other in Taipei. She could only say leaders of both sides of the strait would call each other "on an equal footing" at "high-level meetings."

President Ma himself went on the record not too long ago by saying he would be satisfied if Chen would call him "Mr. Ma." The president was not available for comment, but the chances are that he would stick to what he said.

What will Chen and Chiang talk about?

ARATS and SEF are quasi-government organizations charged with the conduct of relations across the strait. ARATS is under control of the Taiwan Office of the State Council in Beijing.

Lai ruled out the possibility that a cooperative economic partnership arrangement (CEPA) would be negotiated while Chen is in Taipei.

Chen is scheduled to arrive in Taipei at the end of this month, though his itinerary has yet to be announced. He is expected to stay "a number of days" to discuss such issues as direct shipping and regular flights between the two sides of the strait.

"Because what Hong Kong signed with Beijing is a CEPA," Lai said, "there should be no negotiations on a CEPA between Taiwan and the Chinese mainland."

Taiwan is in sad need of an agreement like the CEPA for closer cross-strait economic cooperation and interchange to survive the global crisis touched off by the U.S. financial meltdown.

While Chen is here, the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) will stage a two-day rally at the Presidential Plaza to protest his visit to Taipei.

The opposition party is timing the rally to start on November 1. "We'll say 'No' to China," a DPP spokesman said.

Asked if Chen Yunlin has been told of the DPP protest rally, Lai said she believes he has already learned of the news from Taiwan's free press. She refused comment on the DPP rally.

Is Lai going to meet Chen in Taipei? Lai said "arrangements" would be made in line with the "equal footing" principle. She also emphasized "dignity" as a factor to be taken into consideration in making those arrangements.

Why did the DPP organize the rally on the first two days of next month?

At first, the DPP wanted to stage a protest rally at Taoyuan International Airport when Chen arrives.

"Changes were made to that plan," a source close to the DPP Central Office said, "because some other party is going to protest at the airport on Chen's day of arrival."

Moreover, the source said, the opposition party would also call on one million supporters to take to the streets in protest against Taipei's attempt to achieve a "rapprochement" with Beijing.

November is the DPP's month of action against China, the source said. "A march of one million will take place while Chen is still in Taiwan," he added.