Taiwan’s Straits Exchange Foundation and its mainland Chinese counterpart the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits held an inaugural review meeting on the implementation of 15 cross-strait agreements June 8 in Taipei City.
“Over the past three years, Taiwan and mainland China have resolved issues of mutual concern by concluding agreements on the economy, people’s well-being, life and combating crime,” SEF Vice Chairman Kao Koong-lian said.
“The talks will help us have a better idea on how to improve implementation of the pacts and create more benefits for the people on both sides of the strait.”
Chaired by Kao and ARATS Vice Chairman Zheng Lizhong, the meeting saw the two sides reach consensus on a number of issues. These include increasing direct cross-strait air services to 558 flights per week from 370 to meet the growing demand for air travel across the strait.
“The SEF and ARATS have also agreed to play a part in negotiating with airlines on reducing airfares following the expansion of flight services,” Kao said.
In addition, direct air services are set to be launched between the cities of Tainan in southern Taiwan and eastern mainland China’s Yangcheng in October, according to the Civil Aeronautics Administration.
Currently, there are 45 airports in Taiwan and mainland China that operate direct cross-strait flights, the CAA said.
On the issue of combating crime and mutual judicial assistance, both sides confirmed that the 14 Taiwanese fraud suspects deported to Beijing by the Philippines in early February will soon be repatriated to Taiwan for trial.
Under the Cross-Strait Agreement on Joint Crime-Fighting and Judicial Mutual Assistance, Taipei and Beijing will continue strengthening cooperation in tackling crime and protecting people’s life and property, the SEF added.
Kao and Zheng also confirmed that individual visits by mainland Chinese to Taiwan will begin in late June, although no exact dates for the new measure were given.
The program, which is open to residents in Beijing and Shanghai, will probably be extended to include Chengdu, Chongqing, Guangzhou and Xiamen. The daily quota is to be set at 500 individuals per day, with an increase on the cards if Taiwan’s tourism infrastructure can handle the additional demand.
ROC government efforts to ease restrictions on mainland Chinese tourists visiting Taiwan have paid significant dividends. Since the changes began in 2008, local tourism and transportation sectors have invested an additional NT$160 billion (US$5.54 billion) in offering expanded services.
