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ARATS chairman: Mainland to actively engage in cross-Strait talks

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-10-16 23:42

BEIJING - The mainland-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS) will actively engage in talks with its Taiwan counterpart for agreements on direct flight, shipping and mail, said ARATS chairman Chen Yunlin here Thursday.

The ARATS will try to reach a settlement on food safety with the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), its counterpart across the Taiwan Strait, Chen told a visiting Taiwan business delegation headed by Jeffrey L.S. Koo, Chinatrust Financial Holding Co. Ltd chairman.

The two organizations will also exchange their views on cross-Strait financial cooperation and how to normalize economic ties and establish a cooperative mechanism, Chen said.

"We will work to create a better environment for cross-Strait exchange and cooperation in all fields," he said. "We would like to work for anything that is conducive to peaceful development across the Strait and benefits Taiwan compatriots and try our best."

In the past two decades, business relations between the two sides have reached a big scale and made great progress, thanks to joint efforts made by people on both sides, especially business circles, he said.

"We hope Taiwan businessmen can continue working for the development of cross-Strait relations."

Chen will lead an ARATS delegation to visit Taiwan before the end of this year, a spokesman of the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office confirmed at a press conference on Wednesday.

The ARATS and SEF will talk about direct shipping, cargo chartered flights, regular flights, routes for direct cross-Strait flights and direct mail service during this visit.