Cross-strait economic cooperation talks

Talks on the cross-strait Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement are expected to start within the year. The spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, Yang Yi, says he hopes Taiwan can ensure the talks go smoothly.

Yang Yi said the Mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits and the Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation are due to meet in Taiwan next month. The two sides are expected to discuss the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement. But there's no timetable for signing the agreement.

Yang said, "Currently the cross-straight relationship is at a new historic starting point. We hope that both the Chinese mainland and Taiwan will continue to take an attitude of mutual understanding and mutual benefit, putting aside disagreements and paying attention to the common views, to maintain the improvement of cross-strait relation and explore new opportunities for cross-strait cooperation."

Yang Yi says the Mainland hopes negotiation on the Agreement could start within this year. He says the two sides could work together to prepare for settlement of difficult issues.

Yang said, "We should continue to follow the approaches of putting aside difficult issues, and making economic issues the priority in advancing cross-Strait consultation."

Yang Yi says the topics for this new round of talks will benefit Taiwan's economy and the livelihood of its people, and will have public support. The talks are to cover labor cooperation in the fishing industry and avoidance of double taxation.