NANJING, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese mainland and Taiwan reached a consensus on Sunday to boost investment by mainland companies in the island.
During Sunday's talks, the mainland-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) and the Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) agreed to "actively encourage and promote mainland companies to conduct inspections and invest on the island."
Chen Yunlin, president of the mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), holds talks with Chiang Pin-kung, chairman of the Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, on April 26, 2009. This was the third round of talks between them in less than a year. (Xinhua/Sun Can) Photo Gallery>>>
The two negotiating bodies hoped relevant authorities on both sides of the Taiwan Straits to set up proper communication mechanisms to boost mainland investment in Taiwan.
Both the negotiating bodies believed the hard-won cross-straits relations at present have created a favorable environment for direct and two-way investments across the straits, especially when the international financial crisis is exerting serious negative impacts on both of the two economies.
"Taiwan sincerely welcomes mainland companies to invest on the island," the SEF said in a statement released after the talks on Sunday morning. Taiwan authorities would "issue relevant regulations and measures as soon as possible and gradually expand the sectors open for investment," it said.
The ARATS said the mainland would actively support companies to invest in Taiwan, and encourage them to conduct reviews on the island for investment research.
Chen Yunlin (2nd R), president of the mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), speaks during talks with Chiang Pin-kung, chairman of the Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, on April 26, 2009. This was the third round of talks between them in less than a year. (Xinhua/Sun Can) Photo Gallery>>>
Direct transport, postal service and trade was totally cut off between the two sides since the Chinese civil war ended in 1949.
On Jan. 1, 1979, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, or the top legislature, called for an early realization of the three direct cross-Straits links on transport, mail and trade in its "Message to Compatriots in Taiwan." After 1979, the mainland allowed Taiwan products to enter at lower tax rates or tax-exempt.
In July 1988, the State Council, or the Cabinet, issued regulations encouraging Taiwan compatriots to invest on the mainland.
The mainland has been the largest trading partner of Taiwan since 2003, with annual trading volume surpassing 100 billion U.S. dollars.
Chinese mainland's top negotiator on cross-straits relations Chen Yunlin held talks here with his Taiwan counterpart Chiang Pin-kung on Sunday morning in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province.
This was the third round of talks between them in less than a year.
NANJING, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Top
negotiators from the mainland and Taiwan agreed Sunday to allow routine direct
flights across the Taiwan Straits.
Regular flights will ease the current shortage of
cross-straits flights by increasing the number of flights each week from 108 to
270 and adding six terminals, according to the mainland-based Association for
Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) and the Taiwan-based Straits
Exchange Foundation (SEF). Full story
NANJING, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Top negotiators from the
mainland and Taiwan said here Sunday that the two sides should work together to
overcome the difficulties amid the global financial downturn, which was exerting
an enormous negative impact on economies of the two sides.
"Although the economic growth of the mainland was better
than expected, the mainland is still facing the pressure of a downward economic
growth. And the island's economy also faces many difficulties, despite a series
of measures taken by the local authority," said Chen Yunlin, president of the
mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), in talks
with his Taiwan counterpart Chiang Pin-kung on cross-straits relations in
Nanjing, Jiangsu, on Sunday morning. Full story
NANJING, April 25 (Xinhua) -- Negotiators from the Chinese
mainland and Taiwan on Saturday stressed the significance of enhanced
cross-Straits economic exchanges and cooperation amid the international
financial turmoil.
Zheng Lizhong, deputy chief of the mainland-based
Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), said the
international financial turmoil has brought new challenges to economic
development across the Taiwan Straits. Full story
NANJING, April 25 (Xinhua) -- Taiwan's Straits
Exchange Foundation (SEF) Vice Chairman and Secretary-General Kao Koong-lian on
Saturday expressed his condolences to the two tourists from the Chinese mainland
who were killed in a crane crash accident in Taipei.
He said he was sorry that the accident in
Taipei led to casualties of mainland tourists. Full story
NANJING, April 25 (Xinhua) -- Taiwan's chief negotiator on cross-straits
relations Chiang Pin-kung arrived here Saturday morning for a new round of
talks.
Chiang, chairman of the island's Straits Exchange
Foundation (SEF), is scheduled to hold talks with the mainland's Association for
Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) President Chen Yunlin on
Sunday. Full story
