Cross-strait invitation plan boosts ties hope
Taiwan was making plans yesterday to invite Beijing's No 2 cross-strait negotiator to help set the agenda for future negotiations.
Lee Ching-ping, Deputy Secretary-General of the Straits Exchange Foundation, said the invitation to Tang Shubei, Vice-Chairman of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait, was awaiting approval from the Cabinet-level Mainland Affairs Council.
The foundation and the association, both quasi-official organisations, function as intermediaries between Taipei and Beijing in the absence of formal cross-strait ties. But their negotiations were halted in 1995.
In recent weeks, mainland leaders, including President Jiang Zemin, have suggested both sides meet again to work out an agenda for a new series of talks.
Mr Tang's proposed visit would enable preparatory dialogue to take place in a bid to get talks back on track.
Mr Lee also said that the foundation's Secretary-General Chiao Jen-ho would be willing to visit the mainland 'at an appropriate time and with the appropriate authorisation'.
He said a high-ranking association official was due to arrive in Taiwan for an economic seminar in the middle of the month.
'Our understanding so far is that Ms Yang Xiaomin, the deputy secretary-general responsible for economic affairs, has been invited to a seminar organised by National Sun Yat Sen University,' he said. 'The proposed visit is presently being reviewed by relevant authorities.'
