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Updated Sunday, December 19, 2010 11:44 pm TWN, CNA

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Gov't ready to negotiate cultural pact with China

LOS ANGELES -- Taiwan is prepared to discuss a cultural agreement with China and hopes that the issue can be put on the agenda for cross-Taiwan Strait negotiations next year, a visiting Taiwanese official said in Los Angeles Friday.

Similar to the economic cooperation framework agreement signed in June, the cultural pact will provide a framework for further negotiations on detailed issues, according to Minister without Portfolio Ovid Tzeng.

Tzeng said “chances are high” that the planned agreement will be included on the agenda of the semi-annual meeting between the chief negotiators of the two sides next year.

The agreement is expected to address problems that have emerged in cross-strait cultural exchanges, such as copyright violations, patent protection and the establishment of independent film production companies, he said.

The idea of a cross-strait cultural agreement was first raised by China's Culture Minister Cai Wu during his last visit to Taiwan in September.

Hou Xianghua, deputy director of the ministry's Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan Office, said Thursday that Beijing will push for an early start of related negotiations next year.

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