Cross-Straits Direct Links Urged: MagazineThe July issue of Cross-Straits Relation magazine published a bylined article urging the exchange of mail service, trade and air and shipping services -- known as the "three direct links" -- across the Taiwan Straits.The article says that the issue of the "three direct links" has become a focus since the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council expressed the willingness to have dialogue with the Taiwan authority on the issue on May 20. Chinese leaders have reiterated the necessity of the "three direct links," which is the requirement of cross-Straits economic development and in the interests of the people on both sides of the Straits, says the article. Due to the joint efforts of the two sides, progress has been made in the exchange of mail service, trade and air and shipping services since 1987. More than 16 million Taiwanese traveled in the mainland from 1987 to 1999, and the value of indirect cross-Straits trade has exceeded 160 billion US dollars. However, the new leaders of Taiwan authority, disregarding the interests of the Taiwan people, do not recognize the "one China principle" and have formed new obstacles to the realization of " three direct links," the article points out. The article presses the leaders of the Taiwan authority to retract the "two states" statement and to push forward the direct exchanges and bring benefit to the people on both sides of the Straits. |
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