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China details plans for Taiwan links
2001-01-08
SHANGHAI - Chinese officials have agreed in principle to concessions including scrapping international telephone charges to Taiwan if Taipei expands links with the mainland, a Taiwanese legislator was quoted by Reuters as saying on Sunday. Fung Hu-hsiang, leader of a delegation from Taiwan's opposition New Party to China, also said Chinese officials had proposed opening its cities to airlines from Taiwan if trade, transport and postal connections were expanded across the Taiwan Strait. "If things go smoothly, we might see this happening within half a year," Fung told Reuters in an interview. Taiwan allowed the first direct, legal voyages across the Strait in 51 years last week but direct links are limited to those between the mainland and the nearby Taiwan-held islands of Matsu and Quemoy. Lawmakers from Taiwan's opposition Nationalist Party and New Party who held talks with Chinese officials in Beijing last week have vowed to push for full normal connections. Fung quoted transport officials as saying that would let Taiwan's airlines set up representative offices in the mainland and fly to any city. "Airlines to airlines can make their own deals, they do not need international agreements... And there would be no restrictions on destinations," he told Reuters. Fung said he expected direct air and sea transport links within the year, starting with Taiwan and the eastern city of Shanghai. But routes would be closed to carriers from other countries, even after China's entry to the World Trade Organisation. Ships crossing the Taiwan Strait would not be required to fly flags, he said. Beijing's post office would abandon the use of P.R.C. (People's Republic of China) and Taiwan's would stop using R.O.C. (Republic of China), he said. Chinese officials also proposed using mainland standards in industries including shipbuilding and communications, he said. Fung declined to say if his delegation enjoyed the blessing of Taiwan president Chen Shui-bian's government. "We are a free country, we don't need their approval," he said. "If they don't agree we can negotiate. We are acting as a bridge, negotiating with both sides." But Fung said Chen was likely to be receptive. "Very likely Taipei will agree, because this is reasonable, though it must undergo further discussion and debate," he said. "I believe this is evidence of realism on Beijing's part, in that they are not just focusing on ideology, but trade and the economy."
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