China is willing to start negotiations with Taiwan as soon as possible on the economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) proposed by President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), a senior Chinese official said yesterday.
Taiwan Affairs Office Director Wang Yi (王毅) told the Strait Forum being held in Xiamen that China would cooperate with Taiwan by preparing for the negotiation process.
The Ma administration’s plan to sign an ECFA with Beijing has been fiercely debated, with the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and some political observers saying it would make Taiwan too economically dependent on China. The proposed pact was criticized during yesterday’s protest in Taipei.
Wang also announced an increase in the number of Chinese allowed to visit Taiwan, saying the government would try to have “more than 600,000 visits this year.”
He also said more Taiwanese agricultural products would be purchased, with delegations making two trips to purchase fruit, vegetables and other agricultural products, one in the first half of the year, and one in the second half. He also said that China would initiate investments by Chinese companies in Taiwan.
On Saturday Wang announced that five more Chinese ports had been opened to direct shipping to Taiwan, bringing the total number of ports to 68.
He also announced more measures to boost cross-strait shipping, including granting tax exemptions, allowing the establishment of representative offices and moving to increase maritime safety.
“The people are the foundation and the driving force, the future is in their hands and the results will be shared by the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait,” Wang said yesterday.
Meanwhile, People’s Political Consultative Conference Chairman Jia Qinglin (賈慶林) said yesterday that the Strait Forum would be an important platform for interactions between the people on each side of the Taiwan Strait and that China wanted to use it to expand exchanges.
Jia also extended an official welcome to DPP members to “expand exchanges and travel more frequently to China.”
Cross-strait relations have improved to unprecedented levels, and that the two sides should take this hard-earned development opportunity to promote the peaceful development of cross-strait relations, Jia said, adding that this was the wish of both sides.
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