The official said both sides agreed to hold the Chiang-Chen meeting by the end of the year, but it was too early to tell whether it would happen next month as many media outlets had speculated.
Progress has been made, however, in talks about the topics of the upcoming meeting, he said. The two sides will address fishing industry cooperation, quality checks for agricultural products, cross-strait cooperation in inspection and certification and the prevention of double taxation.
While Chen yesterday said that the upcoming high-level talks would be held as soon as both sides are ready, former MAC secretary-general Jan Jyh-horng (轙礞拹) dismissed it as ※rubbish,§ saying what it meant was neither side was ready.
Chen said both sides have been in contact concerning the negotiations on an ECFA and that talks will happen if the Chiang-Chen meeting is fully prepared.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY KO SHU-LING
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