Interactions between Taiwan and China are in a healthy state despite new problems that are testing the two nations, Beijing’s top negotiator for Taipei said yesterday.
China’s Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits Chairman Chen Deming (陳德銘) said that the two sides would “engage in active consultations” on an upcoming agreement for free trade in merchandise and the exchange of representative offices.
Chen made the comments when he met with his Taiwanese counterpart, Lin Join-sane (林中森), chairman of the Straits Exchange Foundation, on the sidelines of a forum attended by Taiwanese businesspeople in China.
Photo: CNA
It was the first meeting between the two since former Mainland Affairs Council deputy minister Chang Hsien-yao (張顯耀) was sacked on Aug. 16 for allegedly leaking official documents. Chang also lost his job as Lin’s deputy at the foundation, the organization responsible for the conduct of Taiwan’s relations with China.
There have been suggestions that the circumstances surrounding Chang’s removal could make it more difficult for President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) government to pursue his China policies, including efforts to sign new major agreements with Beijing and to have an agreement for free trade in services — signed in June last year — clear the legislature.
Lin said that the two sides are busy with issues that emerged as items requiring negotiations from the previous round of high-level bilateral talks, held in February this year.
In addition to the open meeting yesterday morning, Chen and Lin later yesterday also held a 30-minute meeting behind closed doors.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old