Chinese advance team arrives to prepare for cross-strait talks
ROC Central News Agency
2010/12/19 18:54:49
Taipei, Dec. 19 (CNA) A Chinese delegation arrived in Taiwan Sunday for preparatory talks ahead of a high-level meeting between Taiwan and China negotiators that is expected to result in a medical agreement.
Zheng Lizhong, vice president of the Beijing-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) , is leading the advance team in the meeting with its Taiwanese counterpart, Vice Chairman Kao Koong-lian of Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF).
Upon arrival, Zheng was greeted by Kao at the Grand Hotel in Taipei, where the negotiations will take place.
The two sides discussed matters related to an investment protection accord and a medical and health-care cooperation pact. The medical pact is expected to be signed when the top-level negotiators from both sides meet Dec. 20-22.
ARATS President Chen Yunlin is expected to arrive in Taipei Monday for his sixth meeting with SEF Chairman Chiang Pin-kung since 2008, when cross-Taiwan Strait relations began to warm up under the administration of President Ma Ying-jeou.
Asked why an investment deal will not be signed during the meeting, ARATS Vice President and Secretary-General Li Yafei said the negotiations only began in September and the agreement is not yet ready.
(By Charles Kang and Kendra Lin)
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