China Digital Times

China news tagged with: cross-strait relatioins (5)

• For China and Taiwan, a Welcome Thaw

  

  From The Christian Science Monitor:

  Taiwan has relied heavily on US presidential support for its independent existence in a “one China” world, but recent steps toward warmer cross-Strait relations may mean Taiwan will need to depend less on Barack Obama when he’s president.

  Earlier this month, China’s Chen Yun-lin became the highest-ranking Chinese official to visit the island since Chiang Kai-shek fled the mainland in 1949.

  Mr. Chen, the Chairman of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), was in Taipei for a five-day visit that marked a major diplomatic thaw after eight years of tension during the presidency of independence-minded Chen Shui-bien. The meeting featured four China-Taiwan agreements providing for direct air, shipping, and postal links, and food safety.

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  • November 24, 2008 5:56 PM

• China Envoy in Taiwan Trapped in Hotel by Protesters

  

  A Chinese envoy was trapped inside of a hotel today as an angry mob of pro-Taiwanese independence activists scuffled with police outside. From AFP:

  Chen, the most senior Chinese official to visit the self-ruled island in 60 years, finally left the Regent Hotel in the early hours after police struggled to keep back more than 2,000 protesters venting their anger at his visit.

  A staff member at the Grand Hotel in Taipei, where Chen is staying, confirmed the envoy returned at about 2:30am (1830 GMT Wednesday).

  Earlier, at least one policeman was injured in scuffles with the protesters, said the TVBS news channel.

  Television footage also showed angry demonstrators surrounding a Chinese television reporter late Wednesday in an attempt to prevent her from leaving the hotel before the police intervened.

  » Read more
  • November 5, 2008 5:09 PM

• Taiwanese Attack Chinese Envoy

  

  Chinese envoy Zhang Mingqing was attacked by Taiwanese pro-independence protesters today. From the BBC:

  The attack on Mr Zhang was shown on television news broadcasts across Taiwan, and correspondents say the images are likely to inflame tensions between the pro-independence and pro-Beijing camps.

  Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS) Vice Chairman Zhang Mingqing was on a private visit to a Confucian temple in Tainan, Taiwan when he was physically and verbally attacked by pro-Taiwan supporters. The Taipei Times has a detailed description of what happened:

  TV footage showed Tainan City Councilor Wang Ding-wu (王定宇) of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) shouting “Taiwan wants independence” and “Taiwan is not part of China” during a shoving match with Zhang, who fell to the ground, losing his glasses. But it was not clear if Zhang tripped or was pushed down.

  

  Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait Vice Chairman Zhang Mingqing loses his glasses and falls as he is jostled during a scuffle with pro-Taiwan protesters during a visit to the Confucius Temple in Tainan yesterday.

  A protester wearing a green headband and black T-shirt with green letters and characters reading “Taiwan Team” and “Save Taiwan” then climbed onto the roof of the car Zhang was in and began jumping up and down. He then dropped to the hood of the car and began banging on it.

  …

  The Presidential Office, Premier Liu Chao-shiuan (劉兆玄), Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Chairwoman Lai Shin-yuan (賴幸媛) and Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) Chairman Chiang Pin-kung (江丙坤) all expressed regret over the incident at the temple and condemned the harassment and violent behavior.

  Zhang, who was part of a 21-member Chinese academic delegation attending the 2008 Cross-Strait Academic Symposium on Mass Communications and Image Arts at Tainan National University of the Arts, experienced a similar welcome yesterday before he was scheduled to give a speech at the university.

  Read also: Do You Believe In Wang Ding-yu Or Your Lying’ Eyes? in the ESWN blog.

  » Read more
  • October 21, 2008 9:26 PM

• Taiwan Mixed about Prospect of More Tourists from China

  

  If, as expected, China and Taiwan conclude an agreement this summer allowing many more Chinese mainlanders onto the island for tourism, some say local businesses will prosper, but others worry that Taiwan’s scenic spots will be overrun by tourists and spoiled by developers. From the International Herald Tribune:

  Chinese tourists were first officially admitted to Taiwan in 2002. But visits are capped at 1,000 a day, and tourists must travel to the island via third locations because of restrictions on direct cross-strait flights.

  But if Ma Ying-jeou, the president-elect, has his way, that will change.

  Ma, who takes office on May 20, has promised to reach an agreement on more Chinese tourists and weekend cross-strait charter flights by early July, expanding to weekday charters by the end of the year and regularly scheduled flights by summer 2009. All this is part of his election pledge to stimulate the island’s laggard economy with closer cross-strait economic ties.

  Under the plan, the cap would be tripled to 3,000 Chinese tourists a day, or more than 1 million per year. Last year, 320,169 mainlanders visited Taiwan, only 81,900 of whom officially came as tourists, according to Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council. The rest were listed as business travelers or “others.”

  In a few years, Ma hopes, the cap could rise to 10,000 tourist visits per day. Tourist revenues will have benefits throughout the economy, he says, especially helping lower- and middle-income Taiwanese in the service sector.

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  • April 29, 2008 7:45 PM

• What Follows a War With China? An Editorial - Taipei Times

  

  From Taipei Times:

  Let’s say that one day Beijing elects to attack Taiwan with all its military might, but Taiwan refuses to surrender despite mounting civilian casualties and considerable damage to roads, bridges, ports, airports and other key infrastructure.

  Caught unawares, or at least unable to respond in time, Washington dispatches warships to the area and ratchets up the rhetoric. By the time these arrive, however, People’s Liberation Army (PLA) ground and air forces have overcome the Taiwanese military in most locations and secured the Presidential Office, key military installations, the legislature and other important government buildings. The Americans, recognizing when a thing cannot be undone by military means, withdraw a certain distance and watch.[Full Text]

  » Read more
  • December 22, 2006 10:12 PM

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