Expectations high for ARATS Chairman´s Taiwan visit

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Source: CCTV.com | 10-29-2008 14:19

Expectations are high as the head of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits prepares for a visit to Taiwan next week.

Chen Yunlin (R), chairman of Chinese mainland's Association  for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS), and Chiang  Pin-kun, chairman of the Taiwan-based Straits Exchange  Foundation (SEF), shake hands after signing the agreements  on cross-Strait weekend charted flights and mainland tourists'  traveling to Taiwan, in Beijing, China, June 13, 2008. (Xinhua Photo)

ARATS Chairman Chen Yunlin will lead a delegation from November 3rd to 7th for its first-ever meeting in Taiwan with the Straits Exchange Foundation.

Yang Yi, spokesman of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council says Chen Yunlin will lead a 60-member delegation to Taiwan. He says the group includes ARATS members and mainland experts on finance and commerce.

Yang says the ARATS delegation will hold two symposiums with experts from Taiwan on cross-strait cooperation in various fields.

One of the historic events widely expected during the visit is a meeting between ARATS chairman Chen Yunlin and Chiang Pin-kung, the chief of SEF in Taiwan.

Yang says issues of cross-Strait shipping, air transport, postal service and food safety will be high on the agenda.

Yang Yi said, "Issues on the agenda of the upcoming ARATS-SEF meeting are of common interest of the people across the Straits, such as expanding weekend passenger fights into daily service. It would bring convenience for people to travel across the strait and result in more benefits for airlines from the mainland and Taiwan, if an agreement on charter flights can be reached during the visit. And if there is an agreement on cross-strait sea transport, it would be conducive to market expansion for both the mainland and Taiwan."

The Taiwan Affairs Office says both ARATS and SEF are still discussing the itinerary for Chen Yunlin's five-day stay in Taiwan.

Yang also believes Taiwan will ensure a safe and smooth visit for Chen Yunlin and the ARATS delegation.

Editor:Zhang Ning