Taiwan leader says economic pact only a start

[aimarraul]

Taiwan leader says economic pact only a start
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-05-19 20:28
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TAIPEI: Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou said Wednesday the inking of an economic pact between the island and the Chinese mainland is only the start for a series of negotiations over coming years.

"Cross-Strait economic and trade ties will be closer after the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) is reached," Ma said at a press conference marking two years in office.

He said he hopes people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, who are all descendants of the same ancestors, will solve cross-Strait issues with the wisdom of the Chinese nation.

"This goal might not be achieved overnight, ... we hope to find solutions step by step," he said. "This will be beneficial for both sides."

The two sides have realized direct air and sea transport-links and postal services over the past two years, and mainland tourists are now visiting Taiwan, too.

The measures have pushed cross-Strait ties "from confrontation to negotiation and from conflict to reconciliation," easing tensions, he said.

 

[aimarraul]

China reiterates opposition to arms sales to Taiwan
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-01-13 11:23
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BEIJING: A Chinese mainland official Wednesday reaffirmed the mainland's firm opposition to arms sales to Taiwan by any country and called on Taiwan to cherish hard-won peaceful development of cross-Strait relations.

Yang Yi, spokesman of the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, made the remarks here when asked to comment on reports of US arms sales to Taiwan.


He called on Taiwan to do more to promote the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations.

China's ministries of foreign affairs and national defense had expressed firm opposition to the US arms sales to Taiwan amid reports that the US Defense Department had recently awarded Lockheed Martin Corp a contract for selling an unspecified number of advanced Patriot missiles to Taiwan.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu on Saturday urged the US to "clearly recognize the severe consequences of arms sales to Taiwan, reject the cold war mentality, and adhere to the three Sino-US joint communiques, especially the principles established in the Joint Communique on August 17, 1982."

The "August 17 communique" stated that the US would not seek to carry out a long-term policy of arms sales to Taiwan, and intended to gradually reduce arms sales.

 

[GUNDAM]

In fact, if mainland China goes on developing as these days. Taiwan's economy won't have a second choice...

 

[ao333]

I am very interested in seeing how the PRC government will react to this sale, aftering "imposing sanctions" on the last one.

 

[deepak75]

As long as the union is peaceful and with the desire of both the nations, why not unify?

But even if there is no unification, why should the close cultural ties and historical unity be not utilised to benefit both countries.

I mean, it is the people that matter right?