ASIA: China's envoy arrives in Taiwan for historic talks
03 Nov 2008 5:58 PMASIA: China's envoy arrives in Taiwan for historic talks
By Benjamin Yeh
TAIPEI, Nov 3 AFP - The most senior Chinese official to visit Taiwan since the end of a civil war 60 years ago says historic talks to take place this week are the only way to build trust between the arch rivals.
Chen Yunlin arrived in Taipei on a charter flight from Beijing for talks onstrengthening economic ties, even as supporters of independence for the island staged demonstrations and planned mass rallies against his visit.
He landed amid tight security at Taiwan's international airport just beforemidday (1500 AEDT) today for a five-day visit during which he will meet his Taiwanese counterparts as well as the island's President Ma Ying-jeou.
In a sign of warming ties, Chen, head of China's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS), was accompanied by a delegation of more than 60 officials and business leaders.
Chen waved to waiting reporters as he descended from his plane to be met byKao Koong-lian, the vice-chairman of Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation,the local equivalent of ARATS.
After arriving at Taipei's Grand Hotel, he told a brief welcoming ceremony the talks were a "milestone" in cross-strait relations.
"Peaceful development is the wish for both sides. Communication will promote mutual trust and cooperation will lead to a win-win situation," Chen said.
The talks would benefit both sides, he said, adding they would "not cover political issues".
This week's meetings aim to build on talks held in Beijing in June, the first direct dialogue between the two sides after a 10-year gap, which led to the launch of regular direct flights across the Taiwan Strait and measures to boost tourism.
Chen confirmed agreements would be signed on direct passenger and cargo flights and shipping links, direct postal services and food safety issues.
Boosting tourism would be also be discussed, Chen said. The June talks reached a daily quota of 3,000 Chinese tourists to Taiwan, but China still restricts travel to Taiwan by its citizens.
The two sides would "exchange views" on how to deal with the impact of the current global financial problems, he said, without further detail.
China and Taiwan have been split since 1949, when Mao Zedong's Communists vanquished the nationalist Kuomintang (KMT) who fled across the strait to the island.
Beijing still claims sovereignty over the island of 23 million, and has vowed to retake it, by force if necessary.
Officials say more than 7,000 police have been deployed to ensure Chen's safety, after his deputy Zhang Mingqing was jostled and knocked to the groundby anti-China protesters during a visit to Taiwan last month.
The envoys will also hold a joint news conference on exchanges of endangered species, with China making good on a 2005 offer to the island's main zoo of two giant pandas.
Chen's presence here has become a flashpoint for anti-China protesters who fear closer ties could erode the island's sovereignty, although analysts have pointed to the economic benefits they would bring.
Protesters outside his hotel unfurled banners reading: "The communists are coming."
They scuffled with police as they tried to release coloured balloons, on which were written slogans about tainted Chinese food products.
Taiwan is among many countries and territories to ban Chinese dairy products after they were found to contain an industrial chemical, melamine, which has sickened thousands of children in China, in a few cases fatally.
Some anti-China groups have even offered cash rewards to protesters who throw eggs at Chen, with a direct hit to his face worth 1,000 Taiwan dollars ($A45).
AFP apm
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