Mainland and Taiwan in fresh talks
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A Chinese mainland delegation arrived in Taiwan Monday for a fresh round of talks, at which the two sides are expected to discuss future negotiations on a cross-Strait trade agreement.
"After previous meetings in Beijing, Taipei and Nanjing, the cross-Strait systematic talks have been on the track," said Chen Yunlin, president of the mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), who led the delegation.
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Chen Yunlin (R), president of the Chinese mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), shakes hands with Wang Yi, director of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, before leaving for Taiwan, at Beijing airport, China, Dec. 21, 2009. |
"Once we stick to it, the path heading to peaceful development of relations across the Taiwan Strait will be wider."
The agreements reached at previous meetings had positive economic and social effects for both sides, he said at a welcoming ceremony in Taichung.
The meeting between the ARATS and Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) is scheduled for Tuesday in the central Taiwan city of Taichung.
This will be the fourth round since the ARATS and the SEF resumed negotiations in June last year after a 10-year suspension, with labor cooperation in the fishing industry, cooperation in inspection and quarantine of agricultural products, and taxation cooperation high on agenda.
"If the two sides can reach agreements at this meeting, it will benefit Taiwan's fishing industry and export of farm produce to the mainland, contribute to the interests of thousands of farmers and businessmen as well as create a favorable taxation environment for mutual investment," Chen said.
Wang Yi, director of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said in Beijing Monday when seeing the delegation off, that the two sides would also exchange opinions on future negotiations on the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA), although the talks on the agreement were not on the agenda of this meeting.
Chiang Pin-kun, SEF Chairman, said at the ceremony that the two organizations will cope with the difficulties and face the upcoming challenges together through diligent work and close interactions in a bid to realize peace across the Taiwan Strait and mutual economic benefits.
The two sides aim to facilitate trade and investment through the discussion of four agreements at this meeting, Chiang said.
He also called on business people from both sides to discuss cooperation in fields such as computer hardware and software, photoelectric industry, textile, car making, logistics and business service to promote the mainland investment in Taiwan.
Taiwan economic authorities announced Friday that the island had approved 15 investment projects from the mainland, involving 5.82 million U.S. dollars, by November since it lifted the ban on the mainland investment in June.
It is generally believed that too many restrictions and lack of knowledge of local market led to slow increase of mainland investment.
Lin Tien-yi, a local community chief, told Xinhua that he believed the talks would bring about stronger cross-Strait ties of economy and trade.
"It will help boost Taiwan's depressed economy. This is where our welfare lies," said Lin, whose community is near the hotel the mainland delegation is staying. The community hangs out a banner to welcome the meeting.
"On the way from the airport, I saw many locals who did not want me to come but also many who welcomed me," Chen said. "We respect people's right to express their opinions and are grateful for those supporting us."
Chen also expressed concerns about people of Hualien, an eastern Taiwan county which was rocked by a 6.7-magnitude earthquake off its coast Saturday.
No casualties have been reported in the quake.
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