Fan Liqing (范麗青), spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said such a dictionary would facilitate the increasing exchange between the two sides which have developed many different vocabularies over the years.

"Differences have emerged in terminology in areas of science and technology as well as in social sector," she pointed out. "For instance, 'laser' is called 'jiguang' (激光) in China, but is named 'lei-she' (鐳射) in Taiwan. 'Channel' is 'qudao' (渠道) in China, but 'guan-dao' (管道) in Taiwan." "As cross-strait exchange is fast increasing, we are in favor of compiling a comprehensive Chinese dictionary by recruiting scholars and lexicographers of both sides to list and compare the existing differences in vocabulary. This would facilitate the increasing exchange and make it easy for people to learn and use the language."

It is encouraging to hear of Fan's statement, which could be a harbinger of closer cross-strait cooperation in the cultural field. A comprehensive dictionary of Chinese language and culture is long overdue. Six decades of separation since 1949 have resulted in a lot of cultural and linguistic differences.

It is no longer true to say that people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait speak the same language. They don't, as pointed out by Fan, one of the very first mainland journalists to set foot in Taiwan. There are different expressions that need to be redefined. Besides, both sides have their own ways of transliteration, creating confusion and bewilderment.

Could the cultural gap be bridged? Yes, if people on both sides stop seeing the issue through political lens. But it is a big IF.

Next month, a cross-strait forum on trade and culture will take place in Changsha, capital of Hunan province. This time, the forum will focus on culture and education. The idea of compiling a Chinese dictionary by tapping the top talent on both sides is certain to draw attention. If concrete steps can be mapped out at the forum, which is a platform for cross-strait communication sponsored by the ruling parties of both sides, the proposed dictionary could get a boost. The timing is good, as such a dictionary is badly needed by an increasing number of people who need a key to understand the cryptic Chinese language. Cross-strait cooperation in lexicography is less a political issue than the controversy over jiantizi (simplified characters, 簡體字) and fantizi ( traditional characters, 繁體字) which will also be raised at the forum.Chang Jung-kung, director of the Mainland Affairs Department of the Kuomintang, said this week that President Ma Ying-jeou's seminal "shizheng shujian," meaning "recognizing traditional characters while using simplified characters in print" will be on the agenda at the forum July 10-12.

"Whether a written consensus will be reached on depends on the progress of the discussion," Chang said. "But we'll push the issue forward." Wu Poh-hsiung, the KMT chairman, will head a delegation to the forum, the fifth of its kind since April 2006 when the first forum was held in Beijing following a historic meeting between then KMT Chairman Lien Chan and his mainland counterpart Hu Jintao in 2005. The rendezvous triggered a thaw in relations between the two sides.

Ma, a staunch defender of traditional characters, which he has insisted on calling "zhengtizi" (正體字), meaning orthodox characters, set off an uproar last month by airing the provocative "shizheng shujian." Even many in his own camp of pan-blue diehards were skeptical. The opposition Democratic Progressive Party accused Ma of "leaning toward China" by scheming to "promote" simplified characters in Taiwan. Many conservatives in Ma's own camp balked at the mere mentioning of simplified characters which they regarded as a disfiguration of the beautiful, millennia-old characters. The issue is polarized, not only in Taiwan, but also on the mainland. An animated discussion on the controversy is expected to take place in the forthcoming forum.

Whatever the results, there is a common ground for discussion. Mainland China today is no longer monolithic. Diversity, however weak, is palpable. There was a cry in the wilderness early this year at the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference when a proposal was raised demanding the teaching of traditional characters in elementary schools to preserve China's cultural heritage. The idea would have been unthinkable before China's opening-up 30 years ago. So, President Ma's "shizheng shujian" may resonate in China. This week, Ma made public an article expounding the meaning of his proposition. "Shizheng shujian' is applicable only to the mainland. I have always been a passionate supporter of traditional characters," he wrote.

The article should lay to rest some strident criticisms of his brainchild. He took pains to explain that "shujian," using simplified characters in writing and print, is not intended for Taiwan.

The forum in Changsha will become an important milestone in the evolution of Chinese culture if the powwow can lead to the birth of a comprehensive dictionary of Chinese language and the revival of traditional characters in China.