Taiwan, China open historic trade meeting

TAIWAN: Delegates from Taiwan and China met on Tuesday to discuss issues arising from a sweeping trade pact that has set the stage for unprecedented economic interaction between the two sides.

It was the first meeting between Taipei and Beijing since the Economic Cooperation Committee was launched last month to address issues related to the comprehensive Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA).

"Both sides have sent a big group here as they attach great importance to this meeting, the first since the committee was set up last month," said Kao Koong-lian, deputy chairman of Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation.

The foundation is a quasi-official body authorised by the Taiwan government to handle civil exchanges with the mainland in the absence of official contacts.

Kao's Chinese counterpart in the talks is Zheng Lizhong, executive vice chairman of the Association for Relations across the Taiwan Straits, also a semi-official body.

The two sides will discuss trade in goods and services, the establishment of a dispute settlement mechanism, and the possible exchange of liaison offices.

Although Taiwan and China have been governed separately for more than six decades after they split in 1949 at the end of a civil war, Beijing considers the island part of its territory, awaiting reunification.