Vice president-elect Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) yesterday met Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang (李克強) at the Boao Asia Forum in Hainan, China, where the pair reportedly agreed on the need to address a variety of cross-strait issues.
Wu, who is accompanying a delegation of about 60 officials, is attending the forum in the capacity as the highest consultant for the Cross-Straits Common Market Foundation.
During their meeting, Wu and Li are said to have agreed on the need to establish a mechanism for the control and oversight of insurance and bonds. The two reportedly also agreed to complete in the first half of this year an accord on cross-strait insurance policies, as well as begin negotiations on a cross-strait currency clearing accord.
Photo: Peng Hsien-chun, Taipei Times
Sources said Li agreed to increased imports of Taiwanese agricultural and fish products to China. Li added that Chinese investments in Taiwan were not for the sole benefit of Taiwanese markets, but were for the mutual benefit of both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
Through the expansion of the Chinese market, Taiwan will be able to expand into international markets, Li said.
“We will also [endeavor] to find a solution for equal negotiations [between Taiwan and China] regarding Taiwan’s international space,” he said.
Meanwhile, China’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) Director Wang Yi (王毅) hosted an outdoor banquet for the Taiwanese delegation after the Wu-Li meeting.
Wang began the banquet by welcoming Wu, saying: “The South China Sea and China welcome you all, especially Mr Wu Den-yih, who will soon be assuming more important responsibilities.”
Wang also said economic cooperation was still the priority for cross-strait relations this year.
Cross-strait relations are taking a new, multi-directional development and we must also think hard about how to maximize benefits for citizens across the Strait, Wang said, adding that the two sides would start “seeing more difficulties” when working together on deepening economic cooperation.
“I think that an important and essential focal point for resolving any problems is maintaining, as well as fortifying, mutual political trust,” Wang said. “By so doing, we can promote smoother cross-strait economic cooperation, and as we continue to solve economic problems, it will provide a more solid guarantee of further developments in cross-strait relations.”
The Boao Forum has not only provided a chance for interaction for businesspeople from both sides of the Strait, it has also become the most important platform of dialogue between high-ranking cross-strait administrators, Wang said.
While Wu did not make any public comments during the banquet, the head of the Taiwanese delegation, former foreign minister Fredrick Chien (錢復), praised Wang, saying he had “contributed the most” toward promoting cross-strait relations.
It is “very good to have you [Wang]” as the director of the TAO, Chien said.
Regarding the Wu-Li meeting, Chien said: “Despite the fact that this was the first time both men met, it was more like they were meeting again after having been separated for a long time. They were so sincere in their conversation and their deep insights into the issues, it just gave the feeling that they were truly thinking of solutions to cross-strait issues. I felt very honored to have been able to observe the meeting.”
Most of the Taiwanese delegation attended the banquet, including Cross-Straits Common Market Foundation chairman Chan Huo-sheng (詹火生), as well as Taiwan Stock Exchange Corp chairman Schive Chi (薛琦).
On the Chinese side, in addition to Wang, former China Banking Regulatory Commission chairman Liu Mingkang (劉明康), Central Huijin Investment Co chairperson Lee Jiange (李劍閣) and Cosco Group chairman Ma Zehua (馬澤華) were among those who attended the banquet.
Translated by Jake Chung, Staff Writer
CHAOS: Iranians took to the streets playing celebratory music after reports of Khamenei’s death on Saturday, while mourners also gathered in Tehran yesterday Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a major attack on Iran launched by Israel and the US, throwing the future of the Islamic republic into doubt and raising the risk of regional instability. Iranian state television and the state-run IRNA news agency announced the 86-year-old’s death early yesterday. US President Donald Trump said it gave Iranians their “greatest chance” to “take back” their country. The announcements came after a joint US and Israeli aerial bombardment that targeted Iranian military and governmental sites. Trump said the “heavy and pinpoint bombing” would continue through the week or as long
TRUST: The KMT said it respected the US’ timing and considerations, and hoped it would continue to honor its commitments to helping Taiwan bolster its defenses and deterrence US President Donald Trump is delaying a multibillion-dollar arms sale to Taiwan to ensure his visit to Beijing is successful, a New York Times report said. The weapons sales package has stalled in the US Department of State, the report said, citing US officials it did not identify. The White House has told agencies not to push forward ahead of Trump’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平), it said. The two last month held a phone call to discuss trade and geopolitical flashpoints ahead of the summit. Xi raised the Taiwan issue and urged the US to handle arms sales to
State-run CPC Corp, Taiwan (CPC, 台灣中油) yesterday said that it had confirmed on Saturday night with its liquefied natural gas (LNG) and crude oil suppliers that shipments are proceeding as scheduled and that domestic supplies remain unaffected. The CPC yesterday announced the gasoline and diesel prices will rise by NT$0.2 and NT$0.4 per liter, respectively, starting Monday, citing Middle East tensions and blizzards in the eastern United States. CPC also iterated it has been reducing the proportion of crude oil imports from the Middle East and diversifying its supply sources in the past few years in response to geopolitical risks, expanding
An Emirates flight from Dubai arrived at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport yesterday afternoon, the first service of the airline since the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran on Saturday. Flight EK366 took off from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at 3:51am yesterday and landed at 4:02pm before taxiing to the airport’s D6 gate at Terminal 2 at 4:08pm, data from the airport and FlightAware, a global flight tracking site, showed. Of the 501 passengers on the flight, 275 were Taiwanese, including 96 group tour travelers, the data showed. Tourism Administration Deputy Director-General Huang He-ting (黃荷婷) greeted Taiwanese passengers at the airport and
RSS