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Nanjing talks to touch on principles of opening to Chinese capital

ROC Central News Agency

2009/04/18 20:12:05

Taipei, April 18 (CNA) A vice chairman of the Cabinet-level Mainland Council Affairs (MAC) said Saturday that the upcoming third round of talks between the top cross-Taiwan Strait negotiators on both sides will only address the general principles of allowing Chinese investment in Taiwan.

"The final statement, expected to be issued after the talks, will illustrate only the principles rather than specific categories to be opened to Chinese investment, " said Fu Tung-cheng in response to an inquiry from CNA after a one-day preparatory session for the third round of talks.

The talks between Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) Chairman Chiang Pin-kung and Chen Yunlin, president of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) , will open April 26 in Nanjing and will discuss four issues -- regularly scheduled cross-strait flights, financial cooperation, tackling cross-strait crime and providing legal assistance, and opening Taiwan to investment from China.

According to Fu, both sides have agreed to include the issue of opening to Chinese investment on the agenda but will not make any resolution on it due to the complexity of the subject.

As opening Taiwan to investment from Chinese banks, securities and insurance institutions involves professional operations, it will be included in the discussions on cross-strait financial cooperation, Fu went on, adding that it will fall under the purview of the Cabinet-level Financial Supervisory Commission.

The MAC, which coordinates Taiwan's policy toward China, oversees SEF operations.

Saturday's preparatory session in Taipei was attended by Kao Koong-lian, vice chairman and secretary-general of the SEF, and his Chinese counterpart, ARATS vice president Zheng Lizhong.

A dinner party was thrown in Zheng's honor later that evening in which he expressed gratitude for the SEF's hospitality and wished everyone good health, speaking in the Fukien dialect that is widely used in Taiwan.

He also sang a Puyuma aboriginal ballad titled "We All Belong to the Same Family" in Mandarin.

He was scheduled to leave along with his delegation the following day. (By Rachel Chan) ENDITEM/J