China and Taiwan hold talks to improve relations

Beijing, Apr 15:China's mainland negotiator Chen Yunlin and his Taiwan counterpart Chiang Pin-kung are planning to hold a new round of talks in April '09 or May'09, in an effort to improve cross-Straits relations.

"The talks between the mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) and the Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) will focus on joint efforts to crack down on crime, regular cross-Straits flights, financial cooperation and judiciary assistance," State Council Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman Li Weiyi said at a press conference. he two sides are also expected to discuss mainland investment in the island. Progress has already been made through exchanges of experts from both organizations," the China Daily quoted Li, as saying.

Li Weiyi added that Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao would meet a delegation from the Taiwan-based Cross-Straits Common Market Foundation during the upcoming Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2009.

Head of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Wang Yi, would also meet Taiwan delegates at a round-table discussion on cross-Straits financial cooperation on the sidelines of the forum.

The ARATS and SEF are authorized by the mainland and Taiwan to handle cross-Strait exchanges. Negotiations had been suspended for almost 10 years until June 2008 when Chen and Chiang held their first meeting in Beijing.

ANI