BEIJING, July 15 -- Mainland-based Association for Relations across the Taiwan Straits vice chairman Wang Zaixi says a new round of talks with the Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation will begin this fall.

Mainland-based Association for Relations across the Taiwan Straits vice chairman Wang Zaixi says a new round of talks with the Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation will begin this fall. (Photo: CCTV.com) Photo Gallery>>>

    Wang Zaixi says the development of cross-Strait ties have entered a new stage. He says an example is the smooth operation of the cross-Strait weekend charter flights and the opening of Taiwan's tourism market to mainland residents. The two organizations are in close consultations and preparations are underway for their next round of talks in Taipei.

    Wang Zaixi, Vice Chairman of Associate for Relations across the Taiwan Straits said "I think the new round of talks will be held in this autumn. We still have a lot of preparations to do.

    It's impossible to finish so much work in a short span of time. But the development of cross-Straits ties is prompting us to speed up.

    The talks can't be delayed too much. I think the talks should be held in autumn after the Beijing Olympics. The two organizations first sat down for talks in 1992 in Hong Kong. Then we met again in 1993 in Singapore.

    After more than a decade of no contacts, we resumed talks earlier this year in Beijing. And the new round of talks should be held in Taipei."

(Source: CCTV.com)

Mainland chief: Pioneering work hoped for cross-Strait relations

    HANGZHOU, July 9 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese mainland's Taiwan affairs chief said here Wednesday that pioneering work, based on objective history review and forward-looking thinking, was hoped to explore new way to build better relations across the Taiwan Strait.

    At the opening ceremony of the symposium hosted by the Cross-Strait Relations Research Center (CSRRC), Wang Yi, director of both the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office, said the new positive situation in the cross-Strait relations needs new idea and new thoughts on how to enhance the relations by peaceful means. Full story

Taiwan official: July 4 marks start of cross-Strait win-win relationship

    TAIPEI, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The launch of weekend charter flights and mainland residents coming to Taiwan as tourists on July 4 marks the starting point of development towards a win-win situation for the mainland and Taiwan, said a senior official in Taiwan.

    It is also a key breakthrough for the island's development, said Liu Chao-shiuan, head of Taiwan's "Executive Yuan", at a meeting here Thursday during which the island's traffic department reported the implementation of a plan on weekend charter flights and mainland tourists' tours in Taiwan. Full story

Mainland, Taiwan sign historic agreements on flights, tourism

Chen Yunlin (R), chairman of the mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS) exchanges documents with Chiang Pin-kun, chairman of the Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) during a signing ceremony held in Beijing, June 13, 2008.   (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    BEIJING, June 13 (Xinhua) -- Chinese mainland tourists can visit Taiwan by chartered flights on weekends from next month following the landmark agreements signed here Friday morning.

    The mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) chairman Chen Yunlin and the Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) chairman Chiang Pin-kun signed the two agreements around 9 a.m. Friday after the organizations resumed talks after nine years. Full story