From The Christian Science Monitor:
Taiwan and China sealed a deal on cross-strait charter flights and tourism Friday in Beijing, in the first formal talks between the two sides in nearly a decade. The deal comes amid a rapid thaw in cross-strait relations under Taiwan’s new president, Ma Ying-jeou, who took power May 20.
Analysts cautioned that Friday’s deal was just the first – and easiest – step on the long and difficult road toward reconciliation between the two bitter rivals. Critics in Taiwan said President Ma had made too many concessions to China too soon.
“Eventually, the two sides will reach the end of the list of things they can agree on easily, and the process will slow down,” says Shelley Rigger, an expert on cross-strait relations at Davidson College in North Carolina.
Read also Taiwan says talks with China ‘open new page’ by AFP, and Bold call for China to rethink Taiwan policy by Benjamin Kang Lim.
