Cross-strait political talks some way off: MAC
ROC Central News Agency
2010/12/22 21:00:50
Taipei, Dec. 22 (CNA) Taiwan must forge an internal consensus and build fully fledged mutual trust with China before it is in a position to start cross-Taiwan Strait political talks, Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Chairwoman Lai Shin-yuan said Wednesday.
Lai's remarks came after the United Daily News reported that same day that Chen Yunlin, president of the Beijing-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) , told Lai during a meeting in Taipei the previous day that as no concrete agreements have been worked out by Taiwan and China to end their hostilities, the two sides must hold negotiations on that issue.
Lai met Chen during a meeting with delegates from both sides who were holding their sixth round of systematic talks in Taipei. Chen was the top delegate of the Chinese mission, which concluded its three-day negotiation with the Taiwanese delegation led by Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) Chairman Chiang Pin-kung Wednesday.
According to the newspaper, Lai renewed Taiwan's urging for China to remove its missiles targeting Taiwan and to reduce its interference in Taiwan's participation in international activities.
The MAC chief said she raised the issues with Chen in a bid to help him understand that this is an issue of prime concern to Taiwan's people.
"I have repeatedly made it clear in public that China can take the initiative to deal with its missiles aimed at Taiwan, " she said.
SEF and ARATS representatives signed a medical and health cooperation agreement Tuesday in their sixth round of negotiations to better ensure drug safety and bolster two-way health-care cooperation.
It was the 15th agreement signed by the SEF and ARATS since June 2008 after President Ma Ying-jeou assumed office in May that year. (By Feng Chao and Flor Wang) ENDITEM/J
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