Visitor arrivals in Hualien have increased significantly since direct charter flights were launched last year between the eastern Taiwan county and several cities in China, airport authorities said yesterday.

A Chinese official extended what he saw as an olive branch to Taiwan Monday, suggesting that the two sides work together to find an “appropriate way” of facilitating Taiwan's efforts to play a part in regional economic cooperation.

Former Vice President Vincent Siew (蕭萬長) yesterday met Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) at the annual Boao Forum for Asia in Hainan province.

Former Vice President Vincent Siew, leader of Taiwan's delegation to the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2013, will unexpectedly sit in the second row at the opening ceremony, instead of the first row, according to sources.

Taiwan won the second most awards of any country at an annual invention fair in Moscow, with three elementary school students among Taiwan's gold medal winners.

Former Taiwanese Vice President Vincent Siew (蕭萬長) and a delegation arrived in Hainan, China, Friday evening to attend the 2013 Boao Forum (博鰲論檀).

Taiwan's former Vice President Vincent Siew will fly to Hainan in southern China Friday to attend the 2013 Boao Forum for Asia, slated for April 6-8.

Cross-strait financial exchanges are poised to benefit following the resolution of numerous agreements following the third round of talks between financial regulators on both sides of the strait.

President Ma Ying-jeou said yesterday that mainland China's leadership transition makes this year's Boao Forum for Asia particularly worth taking part in, so that Taiwan can learn more about the newest developments across the strait.

The third round of talks between cross-strait financial regulators concluded yesterday, with both parties agreeing on the loosening of existing limitations on Taiwan-China investments.