China-Taiwan talks to resume
CHINA: A delegation of the Chinese mainland's Association for
Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) left Beijing Monday morning
for Taiwan for a new round of talks.
ARATS President Chen Yunlin, who leads the delegation, will meet
Chairman of Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) Chiang Pin-kung
Tuesday in Taichung.
The ARATS and the SEF are authorized by authorities in the mainland
and Taiwan to handle cross-Strait issues.
|
Sino-Taiwan talks |
| * To handle
cross strait issues
* Would play a positive role
furthering ties |
Seeing the delegation off at airport, mainland Taiwan affairs chief
Wang Yi expressed his wish for "smooth" talks, the fourth round since
the ARATS and the SEF resumed negotiations in June last year after a
10-year suspension.
Wang, director of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of
China (CPC) Central Committee, said he expected the talks would play a
'positive' role in furthering the mainland-Taiwan relations to benefit
people on both sides of the Strait.
The agenda includes labor cooperation in the fishing industry,
cooperation in inspection and quarantine of agricultural products, and
taxation cooperation.
Wang said the leaders of the ARATS and the SEF would also exchange
opinions on future negotiations on the Economic Cooperation Framework
Agreement (ECFA).
Although the negotiations on the agreement were not on the agenda of
the meeting this week, Wang stressed that the ECFA would be based on the
principle of equality and mutual benefit.
"The negotiations would take full consideration of the Taiwan economy
and market conditions while reasonably addressing the concerns of the
Taiwan people," Wang, also head of the State Council Taiwan Affairs
Office, told the media at the airport.
Mentioning some Taiwan people's opposition to the talks, Wang said he
believed that the majority on the island supported the improvement of
the cross-Strait relationship and wanted solutions to actual issues
through negotiations. "I hope the Taiwan people can gain an accurate
understanding of the talks and maintain a friendly and relaxed
atmosphere for the talks," he said.
Beijing,Monday, Xinhua |
