Mainland, Taiwan sign trade agreements

The Chinese mainland and Taiwan have reached consensus on several issues, including cooperation in fisheries, agriculture, industry and commerce. They were carefully chosen to benefit the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

Chen Yunlin (L, front), president of the mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), and Chiang Pin-kung (R, front), chairman of Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), sign agreements in Taichung, southeast China's Taiwan, Dec. 22, 2009. Chinese mainland and Taiwan  negotiators reached three agreements on fishing, farm produce and standards measuring on Tuesday.(Xinhua/Yuan Man)

The ARATS and its Taiwan counterpart the SEF, discussed labor cooperation in the fishing industry, in inspections and quarantine of agricultural products, standard measuring, and certification.

The two sides reached a basic consensus on avoiding repetitive taxes and improving the current taxation systems.

The ARATS hailed the agreements as having brought convenience and momentum to the economic and social exchanges between the mainland and Taiwan, adding that they are vital to weather the international financial crisis.

The SEF expressed gratitude to the mainland for the humanitarian aid after Typhoon Morakot hit the island in August. It also spoke highly of the agreements signed Tuesday and said more deals could be reached in the near future.