Mainland, Taiwan agree to enhance ties

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Zheng Lizhong, vice president of Assocoation for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits, said, "Today will be a date to be remembered in the history of cross straits relations. The agreements signed today mark the normalization of air transportation between the two sides of the straits, the institutionalization of financial cooperation, and closer ties between legal authorities. The consensus for mainland investment in Taiwan is an important step forward in our economic ties."

The mainland will continue to encourage more tourists to visit Taiwan.

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)

Passengers taking a direct flight to cross the straits have increased from 70 percent of the transport capacity to more than 90 percent. With the travel peak season drawing near, more mainland travelers are planning to spend their vacation in Taiwan, with the daily entry tally into the island reaching 3-thousand trips, a six fold increase from when they were first allowed into Taiwan. More than 200,000 visitors have been to the island during the past 9 months. Negotiators hope that by expanding the direct flights into regular flights, travelers will enjoy their trips at a lower price.

Chiang Pin-kung, Chairman of Straits Exchange Foundation, said, "In the following discussions, especially my next meeting with President Chen in Taiwan later this year, we will discuss issues concerning fishery, quality control and quarantine checks, avoiding double taxation, among others. But we are not confined to those topics, we can talk and sign agreements on any issue when discussions between relative departments produced workable results."

Negotiators are already looking forward to future discussions. Although they could not sign an agreement on mainland investment in the island, they have reached a consensus that such investment is needed to increase the competitive edge for their respective companies. And it would further integrate the economies for their healthy development and also help combat the global financial crisis. They hope that with collective wisdom, both sides will gain more than their combined economic achievements. They hope they will be able to explore the world market together.

Negotiators say when the agreements are put into practice, they will fulfill the dreams of many people on both sides of the straits - by making the three direct links a reality. If their achievements so far have been relatively easy, they are now tackling more urgent and complex economic issues. Negotiators say they will be pragmatic in solving problems one at a time.

Editor:Zhang Ning