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Cross-Straits talks agree regular meets
Chinese mainland and Taiwan officials in charge of cross-Straits policy held a historic meeting on Tuesday and agreed to set up a mechanism for regular communication between the two sides.

'Unimaginable' cross-Straits meeting breeds optimism
Chiefs of cross-Straits affairs from the Chinese mainland and Taiwan met formally for the first time since 1949 on Tuesday afternoon.

Mainland seeks joint efforts with Taiwan on detainees
Cross-Straits officials agree to regular communication

The Meeting

The first official meeting between the two sides since 1949.

Zhang has accepted Wang's invitation to visit Taiwan.

Consensus  To push forward follow-up agreements to the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement, explore practical ways to jointly develop their economy, and join in regional cooperation. To expand the cultural, education and scientific exchange. To set up a mechanism for regular contact and communication between TAO and MAC. To continue to push forward cross-Straits relations under the 1992 Consensus. To continue discussing setting up liaison offices for SEF and ARATS.  To facilitate personnel exchange between the two agencies. To settle a health insurance issue for college students studying on the other side of the Straits.

Must-know Info

The mechanism between TAO and MAC 

Senior officials of the two departments could "just pick up their mobile phones and talk" instead of setting up a special hot line.
-- Wang Yu-chi, Taiwan's mainland affairs chief

The mechanism will not replace talks between the mainland ARATS and its Taiwan counterpart SEF, which focus on detailed affairs and cross-Straits agreements.

Nor will not change the way other departments contact each other.

History of Ties

 

Commentary

Wang Yu-chi, head of Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council
The setup of the new exchange channel between the authorities in charge of cross-Straits affairs will help strengthen mutual trust and symbolizes the further institutionalization of cross-Straits relations, which can avoid misunderstanding and enhance the efficiency of communication.

Li He, a research fellow with the Institute of Taiwan Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
The meeting itself represents a major breakthrough in cross-Straits relations and the new mechanism opens the door to political consultations between the sides.

The new mechanism can also help MAC and TAO solve the sensitive issues that SEF and ARATS are unable to deal with, since cross-Straits relations now stand at a sophisticated stage and many disputes exist.

Wu-ueh Chang, professor with the Graduate Institute of China studies at Taiwan's Tamkang University
It was a good prelude to tackling political issues and perhaps to meetings between senior leaders.

We can not expect too many achievements in one night. They will have to work harder on many issues.

Chu Jingtao, Taiwan studies fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences  
The Association for Relations across the Taiwan Straits and the Straits Exchange Foundation are tied to official institutions. This meeting, however, is the first between official institutions across the Straits since 1949, a signal that the institutions are coming out from behind the curtain and will exert a profound influence on cross-Straits relations.  

Source: Beijing News

Liu Xiangping, professor and deputy director of Institute of Taiwan Studies, Nanjing University
This is the first official meeting between officials in charge of cross-Straits policy in Chinese mainland since 1949, an event marking considerable progress. The two addressed each other by their official titles. At the same time, the meeting is a special case and not fit for other institutions. However, it may still pave the way for future development. 

Source: Yangcheng Evening News

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