No cross-strait political talks during president's term
ROC Central News Agency
2010/03/04 23:10:50
Taipei, March 4 (CNA) President Ma Ying-jeou will not change his stance of not holding political negotiations with China during his current term, a high-ranking official from the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said Thursday.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said he expected "mounting difficulties in talks with China" during the remainder of Ma's four-year tenure, and that no political issues will be touched upon in such talks.
Not long after taking office in May 2008, Ma resumed the long- stalled cross-strait talks, and has since forged more than 10 agreements to increase trade and economic exchanges between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.
"Cross-strait negotiations are still in the initial stages, having re-opened less than two years ago, " the official said, adding that "we have felt no Chinese pressure for such political talks." He said there has been tacit understanding between Taiwan and China that cross-strait relations can only be improved on a gradual basis to avoid any undesired effects.
Meanwhile, MAC Vice Chairman Chao Chein-min rebutted criticism that Taiwan has tilted toward China as far as its foreign policy is concerned.
Chao, who will leave for Japan Friday to explain the government's China policy, said that both Japan and the United States maintain stronger and closer relations with China than Taiwan has, yet are free from being termed as leaning toward China.
He said that all Taiwan has done is to create institutionalized cross-strait trade and economic relations that will certainly benefit Taiwan. (By Chang Ming-kun and Bear Lee) ENDITEM/J
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