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Three- Exchanges Be Pushed Ahead Under One-China Policy
Three- Exchanges Be Pushed Ahead Under One-China Policy
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Direct postal, commercial and transport links between the mainland and Kinmen, Matsu and Penghu, three islands under Taiwan's control, can be discussed in an orderly way under the one-China principle, a senior official for Taiwan affairs said Tuesday.
"It (the links between the mainland and Kinmen, Matsu and Penghu) all depends on whether Taiwan authorities adhere to the one-China principle and agree to have direct postal, commercial and transport links across the Straits as the objective," said Li Bingcai, vice-director of the Office of Taiwan Affairs, which comes under the State Council.
Li met Tuesday with a 10-member delegation from Taiwan's pro-reunification New Party. Delegates said they would like to see trial postal, commercial and transport links with the three islands before direct links across the Taiwan Straits are established.
The New Party delegation is being led by a "member of parliament" in Taiwan, Feng Hu-hsiang.
Taiwan business executives yesterday reiterated their calls to both sides across the Straits to ease the restriction on direct postal, commercial and transport links.
"Both sides should further relax the limits on cross-Straits trade and economic exchange and strengthen co-operation with the mainland to accomplish common prosperity," said Peter Kuo, deputy director-general of the Beijing Association of Taiwanese Investment Enterprises. Taiwan needs business, Kuo said.
As of May 1999, the volume of indirect trade, which was resumed in 1979, amounted to US$145.5 billion, with an annual growth rate of 34.2 per cent.
Kuo said both sides are complementary with each other in their economic development.The opening up on the mainland offers ample opportunities for economic co-operation and exchanges between the two sides.
"We need such a political situation that can settle us down psychologically," Kuo said.
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