Qian Announces Policies for Macao-Taiwan Relations ����Vice-Premier Qian Qichen announced on January 15 the central government's basic principles and policies for handling relations between Macao and Taiwan following Macao's return to the motherland on December 20, 1999. ����Qian announced the policies during the Fifth Plenary Session of the Preparatory Committee for the Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR). He noted that unofficial exchanges between Macao and Taiwan, including economic, cultural and personnel exchanges, will remain basically unchanged. ����The central government will encourage and welcome Taiwan residents to invest in Macao and will protect their rights and interests in the MSAR, said Qian, chairman of the Preparatory Committee. ����He said the air and shipping links between Macao and Taiwan will be treated as "special regional links" operated under the principle of "one China" and the principle of mutual benefits. ����Taiwan residents can enter and exit Macao in accordance with relevant laws in the MSAR, said Qian, adding that they can also study, work and settle in the region. ����Qian said current entry and exit procedures for Taiwan residents visiting Macao will basically remain unchanged. He added that the central government will arrange travel documents for Taiwan residents visiting the MSAR. ����He said that education, science, culture, press, sports, medicine, health, women, youth and other non-governmental and religious organizations in the MSAR can maintain and develop ties with their counterparts in Taiwan on the basis of equality, non-interference and mutual respect. ����Official exchanges between Macao and Taiwan, including the consummation of contracts and establishing institutions, must be approved by the central government, or the chief executive of the MSAR entrusted by the central government. ����Qian said existing Taiwan institutions in Macao can continue operations in the new MSAR under appropriate names. ����He emphasized that institutions and all staffers must strictly abide by the Basic Law of the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, and operate in strict accordance with the "one China" principle. TopNews 1999-01-16 Page2 Full Story in Chinese