Taiwan, China one step closer to normalized ties: chief negotiator

The achievement, together with agreements reached previously on the launch of cross-strait air, shipping and mail services, has contributed to an initial realization of "three links" -- direct transportation, trade and postal links -- between the two sides, said Chiang Pin-kung, chairman of the Taipei-based Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF).

Chiang made the remarks during a visit to Yangzhou, the second leg of his current China visit that first took him to Nanjing, where he met with his Chinese counterpart, Beijing-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) President Chen Yunlin.

The two signed three agreements covering the launch of regular cross-strait passenger flights, financial cooperation, and cross-strait cooperation to fight crime.

A joint statement on a proposal to open Taiwan to Chinese investment was also released on the occasion.

Chiang pointed out that including these three agreements, the two sides have reached a total of nine agreements in 10 months.

Among the four understandings reached Sunday, the joint statement on liberalizing Taiwan-bound Chinese investment will facilitate a two-way flow of investment, reversing the current one-way movement of investment from Taiwan to China, Chiang said.

Issues to be addressed by the two sides in the future, such as investment protection, dual taxation avoidance and intellectual property right protection, are expected to help further promote direct cross-strait business links, he said.

The latest Chiang-Chen meeting was the third of its kind since the resumption of cross-strait dialogue less than one year ago following a nine-year hiatus.

It signifies the continued warming of relations between the two former rivals since the inauguration of President Ma Ying-jeou, whose administration has made it a priority to ease tensions and improve relations with China.

In their first meeting held in June 2008 in Beijing, Chiang and Chen signed agreements on the launch of weekend cross-strait passenger charter flights and the admission of larger numbers of Chinese tourists to Taiwan.

Their second meeting took place in November in Taipei, during which they signed agreements on extending charter flights from weekends to every day of the week, opening direct cross-strait shipping, postal, and air cargo charter services, and improving food safety.

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