China can show goodwill by removing missiles: Taiwan minister
ROC Central News Agency
2013/05/08 17:25:04
Taipei, May 8 (CNA) China can make a gesture of goodwill toward Taiwan by removing the missiles it has targeted at the island, Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Minister Wang Yu-chi said Wednesday.
It is an action that China can take unilaterally -- it requires no cross-Taiwan Strait negotiations, Wang said at the Legislature, commenting on a recent proposal by local scholars that the two sides negotiate on the missile issue.
China can voluntarily remove the missiles if it wants to show goodwill, he said.
Turning to the plans for Taiwan and China to set up reciprocal offices, he said the two sides have agreed that the functions of the offices will include trade and economic relations, emergency assistance, cultural ties and cross-strait exchanges.
Taiwan has also been negotiating for a broader scope of service to cover areas such as the processing of travel permits for cross-strait travel and obtaining information about the detention of Taiwanese in China, but China has been unresponsive in this regard, Wang said.
In response to questions posed by ruling Kuomintang Legislator Chiang Chi-chen, Wang said he would like to see exchange visits by leaders from Taiwan and China and hear them address each other in their official capacity.
The problem with that idea lies on the Chinese side, he said, adding that he will try to push for such visits in the future.
Wang also said that if former Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao wants to visit Taiwan, the two sides should arrange an 'appropriate time' because of the sensitivity of the issue.
(By Scarlett Chai and Jamie Wang)
enditem /pc
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