Taiwanese and Chinese officials are preparing to meet to review the results of agreements their two countries have signed over the past five years, with the meeting likely to take place by the end of the year.
Mainland Affairs Council spokeswoman Wu Mei-hung (吳美紅) said the council is collecting information from related government agencies on issues it hopes to address in the meeting with Chinese authorities.
The two sides first met to review progress in implementing bilateral agreements in Taipei in July 2011 and covered pacts on tourism, air travel, the inspection of agricultural products, food safety and mutual legal assistance.
Both sides agreed on several issues, such as allowing Chinese tourists to visit Taiwan without being part of a group and increasing the number of weekly direct flights between Taiwan and China from 370 to more than 550.
The next meeting of the Cross-Strait Economic Cooperation Committee is to be held in Taipei today.
The two sides are to review the implementation of the “early harvest” program under the cross-strait Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement, signed in 2010, and progress made in follow-up negotiations on trade, the foundation said.
The meeting is to also address the issue of the Taiwan Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers’ Association and China’s Association of Economy and Trade Across Taiwan Straits setting up representative offices in each other’s territory, sources said.
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