Capping off his tour of China, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan (
Addressing China-based Taiwanese businesspeople over lunch in Shanghai yesterday, Lien said he had encouraged Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) on Friday to give his blessing to Taiwan signing an FTA with ASEAN.
ASEAN will soon emerge as one of the largest markets in the world and Taiwan must not let opportunities slip out of its grasp during this critical period, Lien said.
Lien also emphasized the importance of future economic cooperation between Taiwan and China in light of China's rapid economic growth.
The direction of economic cooperation between China and Taiwan called for the establishment of a "common market" between the two countries, Lien said. He added that Hu promised to facilitate economic and trade proposals formulated during KMT Vice Chairman Chiang Pin-kun's (
During a press conference in Shanghai, Lien also elaborated on the agreement to open a cross-party communication channel.
KMT Secretary-General Lin Feng-cheng (
Besides increasing communication between both parties, the channel would plan forums on cross-strait peace and on economic issues.
Lien spent a busy day in Shanghai yesterday, also meeting with top Chinese negotiator Wang Daohan (
At a press conference held after Lien's private meeting with Wang, KMT spokesman Chang Jung-kung (
Lien praised Wang as a historical figure in cross-strait relations whom he respected, and thanked Wang for his contributions. He also reminisced with Wang over the late Straits Exchange Foundation head Koo Chen-fu (辜振甫).
Wang met with Koo, Taiwan's top negotiator with China, in an official capacity on two occasions. The first Koo-Wang talks in April 1993 marked the first rendezvous of government-authorized negotiators from China and Taiwan in nearly 50 years.
Koo died aged 88 in March.
During the meeting, Lien presented Wang with a painting by Koo that Koo's widow, Cecilia Koo (
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday voiced dissatisfaction with the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans- Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), whose latest meeting, concluded earlier the same day, appeared not to address the country’s application. In a statement, MOFA said the CPTPP commission had "once again failed to fairly process Taiwan’s application," attributing the inaction to the bloc’s "succumbing to political pressure," without elaborating. Taiwan submitted its CPTPP application under the name "Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu" on Sept. 22, 2021 -- less than a week after China
ALIGNED THINKING: Taiwan and Japan have a mutual interest in trade, culture and engineering, and can work together for stability, Cho Jung-tai said Taiwan and Japan are two like-minded countries willing to work together to form a “safety barrier” in the Indo-Pacific region, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) yesterday said at the opening ceremony of the 35th Taiwan-Japan Modern Engineering and Technology Symposium in Taipei. Taiwan and Japan are close geographically and closer emotionally, he added. Citing the overflowing of a barrier lake in the Mataian River (馬太鞍溪) in September, Cho said the submersible water level sensors given by Japan during the disaster helped Taiwan monitor the lake’s water levels more accurately. Japan also provided a lot of vaccines early in the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic,
Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) on Monday announced light shows and themed traffic lights to welcome fans of South Korean pop group Twice to the port city. The group is to play Kaohsiung on Saturday as part of its “This Is For” world tour. It would be the group’s first performance in Taiwan since its debut 10 years ago. The all-female group consists of five South Koreans, three Japanese and Tainan’s Chou Tzu-yu (周子瑜), the first Taiwan-born and raised member of a South Korean girl group. To promote the group’s arrival, the city has been holding a series of events, including a pop-up
A home-style restaurant opened by a Taiwanese woman in Quezon City in Metro Manila has been featured in the first-ever Michelin Guide honoring exceptional restaurants in the Philippines. The restaurant, Fong Wei Wu (豐味屋), was one of 74 eateries to receive a “Michelin Selected” honor in the guide, while one restaurant received two Michelin stars, eight received one star and 25 were awarded a “Bib Gourmand.” The guide, which was limited to restaurants in Metro Manila and Cebu, was published on Oct. 30. In an interview, Feng Wei Wu’s owner and chef, Linda, said that as a restaurateur in her 60s, receiving an
RSS