Ma sees Taiwan-China political talks

Taiwan's president told the outgoing head of the United States Pacific Command that "activities" by China's People's Liberation Army could convince the island to enter into political talks with Beijing, according to an American diplomatic cable released by WikiLeaks.
The cable described a meeting between President Ma Ying-jeou and Adm. (Ret.) Timothy Keating on December 15, 2009 weeks after Keating left his PACOM post. Keating was one of the most senior American officials involved in planning the US military posture in the western Pacific, including in the Taiwan Strait, the 100-mile- (160-kilometer-) wide maritime corridor dividing mainland China from Taiwan. "Despite warming economic ties," the American cable quoted Ma as saying, "(China's) military posture across the Strait remains unchanged. PLA activities in recent months demonstrated that Taiwan may need to move beyond economic discussions into political discussions with the mainland."
China and Taiwan split amid civil war in 1949, and Beijing continues to regard the island as part of its territory, to be taken over by persuasion if possible, by force if necessary. Upon taking office in May 2008, Ma pivoted sharply away from his predecessor's anti-China policies, engaging Beijing in a series of economic agreements that have helped to lower tensions between the sides to their lowest level in six decades.