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China's top negotiator with Taiwan to arrive for high-level talks

ROC Central News Agency

2010/12/17 16:12:52

By Charles Kang and Sofia Wu

Taipei, Dec. 17 (CNA) China's top negotiator with Taiwan is scheduled to arrive in Taipei next Monday for a new round of talks with his Taiwanese counterpart, during which a bilateral medical cooperation pact will be signed, officials said Friday.

Chen Yunlin, president of the Beijing-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) , will be greeted by Kao Koong-lian, vice chairman of the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) , when he arrives at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, according to the itinerary released by the SEF.

Chen's itinerary and the meeting agenda were unveiled at a news conference jointly hosted by the SEF, the Cabinet-level Mainland Affairs Council and the Government Information Office.

The focus of his itinerary will be talks with SEF Chairman Chiang Pin-kung the following day. It will be their sixth formal meeting since 2008 dealing with major issues of mutual concern.

On Dec. 21, Chiang and Chen will sign a medical and health-care cooperation agreement, the 15th accord they will have signed since their first meeting in 2008 following the inauguration of President Ma Ying-jeou.

The two top negotiators will also brief the media on the negotiating situation in terms of a cross-Taiwan Strait investment protection accord that was originally scheduled to be signed along with the medical accord at the sixth meeting.

However, the signing of the investment pact will be deferred to a later date because some details remain to be settled, SEF officials said.

During their meeting, Chiang and Chen will also exchange views on the agenda for their next round of talks, expected to take place in the first half of next year, as well as review the enforcement of the previously signed 14 agreements that have paved the way for direct cross-strait air and shipping links and closer commercial exchanges.

Chiang will probably come up with proposals to resolve issues regarding insufficient numbers of flights to certain popular Chinese destinations and the exorbitant prices on some flight routes, as well as passenger and cargo transit flights, SEF sources said.

Chen, meanwhile, is likely to put forward a proposal that the two sides sign a cultural cooperation agreement, the sources said.

During his stay, he is also scheduled to meet with Mainland Affairs Council Chairwoman Lai Shin-yuan, Taiwan's top China policy planner.

Prior to his departure on Dec. 22, Chen and his entourage will tour the Taipei International Flora Expo, SEF officials said.

The SEF and ARATS are quasi-official intermediary bodies authorized to handle cross-strait talks in the absence of official ties.