TaiShang
ELITE MEMBER
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2014
- Messages
- 27,848
- Reaction score
- 70
- Country
- Location
'One small step' across Taiwan Straits
CCTV.com
The Chinese mainland has sent its first ever Taiwan affairs chief to Taiwan for a four-day visit.
Zhang Zhijun (L), director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of China's State Council, meets with Taiwan's mainland affairs chief Wang Yu-chi in Taipei, southeast China's Taiwan, June 25, 2014. (Xinhua/Wang Shen)
Small steps for these two, a big step for the two sides across the straits.
"It took me less than three hours to fly to Taiwan. But we spent 65 years to make this meeting happen," Zhang Zhijun, director of State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said.
"I visited the Mainland this February as head of Mainland Affairs Council. Four months after that, we have the chief of State Council Taiwan Affairs Office visiting Taiwan. It’s of huge significance," Wang Yu-Chi, head of Mainland Affairs Council, said.
The two chiefs say differences and challenges exist in cross-straits relations, but agreed that both sides need to work together to address the problems.
"Both of us have great responsibilities. We need to work harder. We need to carefully maintain the status quo and pursue a peaceful development, to benefit people on both sides," Zhang said.
During his visit, Zhang Zhijun will visit New Taipei City, Taichung and Kaohsiung. The South of the island is the traditional stronghold of the Green Camp, which is considered less close with the mainland. The southern regions have also benefited less from the trade pact with the mainland. Zhang will devote three out of four days to speak with a wide group of people from Taiwan.
"I hope that Director Zhang will hear the voices of Taiwan people, understand their ways of life and gain a better understanding of Taiwan," Wang said.
The visit comes after students protests in March, which called for stopping ratification of a two-way service trade liberalization pact. The issue is expected to be further discussed.
The two sides signed 21 deals last year, with bilateral trade at 124 billion US dollars and Taiwan registering about three million mainland tourists.
CCTV.com
The Chinese mainland has sent its first ever Taiwan affairs chief to Taiwan for a four-day visit.
Zhang Zhijun (L), director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of China's State Council, meets with Taiwan's mainland affairs chief Wang Yu-chi in Taipei, southeast China's Taiwan, June 25, 2014. (Xinhua/Wang Shen)
Small steps for these two, a big step for the two sides across the straits.
"It took me less than three hours to fly to Taiwan. But we spent 65 years to make this meeting happen," Zhang Zhijun, director of State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said.
"I visited the Mainland this February as head of Mainland Affairs Council. Four months after that, we have the chief of State Council Taiwan Affairs Office visiting Taiwan. It’s of huge significance," Wang Yu-Chi, head of Mainland Affairs Council, said.
The two chiefs say differences and challenges exist in cross-straits relations, but agreed that both sides need to work together to address the problems.
"Both of us have great responsibilities. We need to work harder. We need to carefully maintain the status quo and pursue a peaceful development, to benefit people on both sides," Zhang said.
During his visit, Zhang Zhijun will visit New Taipei City, Taichung and Kaohsiung. The South of the island is the traditional stronghold of the Green Camp, which is considered less close with the mainland. The southern regions have also benefited less from the trade pact with the mainland. Zhang will devote three out of four days to speak with a wide group of people from Taiwan.
"I hope that Director Zhang will hear the voices of Taiwan people, understand their ways of life and gain a better understanding of Taiwan," Wang said.
The visit comes after students protests in March, which called for stopping ratification of a two-way service trade liberalization pact. The issue is expected to be further discussed.
The two sides signed 21 deals last year, with bilateral trade at 124 billion US dollars and Taiwan registering about three million mainland tourists.