China and Taiwan should negotiate a free trade pact to boost cross-strait
economic ties, state media reported Saturday citing a senior official, in the
latest overture by the mainland to its island rival.
The free trade agreement suggested by Taiwan Affairs Office deputy director
Wang Zaixi follows the signing this month of a Closer Economic Partnership
Arrangement between China and Hong Kong aimed at removing barriers to cross-
border trade.
Wang said both Beijing and Taipei should give top priority to bilateral
economic and trade relations, the official China Daily reported Saturday.
"Any political dispute that interferes with and affects bilateral and
economic and trade exchanges should be left aside and gradually resolved," he
told a two- day conference on cross-strait relations held in the southwest
province of Yunnan.
Cross-strait talks on closer integration at a political level have been
stymied by Beijing's insistence that the government in Taipei acknowledge
mainland sovereignty over the island under the "One-China principle."
With Taipei reluctant to make that concession, Beijing has continued to push
for closer economic ties in the hope that this will eventually build pressure
for political integration.
Direct postal, transport and communications links across Taiwan Strait have
also been severed, forcing both trade and travelers to use a third port such as
Hong Kong.
Any negotiations for a cross-strait, free trade pact would possibly require
the restoration of these three direct links.
