China and Taiwan begin direct talks
Discussions focus on renewing transport links that could boost Taiwan’s economy.
China-Taiwan relations |
Beijing regards Taiwan as part of its territory, and says it will use force to reclaim it if Taipei ever declares independence Taiwan has been a multi-party democracy since 1996 Taiwan’s defence ministry says China now has nearly 1,000 missiles aimed at the island The US is the major arms supplier to Taiwan and has warned China that any attack on the island would be viewed with “grave concern” |
Chen Yunlin, the lead Chinese negotiator, was quoted by Taiwanese media calling the agenda “important” while opening the talks on Thursday.
The Beijing talks are expected to give Taiwan‘s economy a much-needed boost.
The island banned direct trade and transport exchanges with the mainland after the two sides split at the end of a civil war in 1949.
Since then Taiwan has also severely restricted visits by mainland Chinese.Chiang Pin-kun, the island’s chief negotiator, who led the Taiwanese delegation to Beijing, said the aim was “to promote peace”.
Chiang said the team will also raise the issue of relief and reconstruction efforts for victims of the Sichuan earthquake during Thursday’s session.
The four-day discussions could help calm the angry rhetoric and military tensions that have made the Taiwan Strait one of the world’s most volatile regions.
“The talks will follow the principle of easy tasks first so that means economic issues first, political issues later“
Li Peng, |
“I want to remind you that we’re making history, which will have a far-reaching influence on Taiwan,” Ma said on Wednesday.
China regards self-ruled Taiwan as a renegade province and has repeatedly threatened to use force to stop any formal move towards independence.
The two countries first held direct talks in Singapore in 1993 but the Chinese side suspended the process two years later to protest against a visit to the US by Lee Teng-hui, Taiwan‘s president at the time.
Late last month Chinese and Taiwan ruling party leaders agreed to resume talks after they met in Beijing.
That meeting was the highest-level contact between the two sides since 1949.