3rd LD Writethru-Xinhua Insight: Cross-Strait affairs chiefs meet in Kinmen, urging no setbacks in ties

The mainland's Taiwan affairs chief Zhang Zhijun on Saturday called for efforts to avoid U-turns and self-inflicted setbacks to ties across the Taiwan Strait.

"Both sides should be determined to protect cross-Strait relations from U-turns and setbacks, which are also the common aspirations of compatriots across the Strait," Zhang said when meeting with Taiwan's mainland affairs chief Andrew Hsia in Kinmen County, Taiwan.

Zhang, director of the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, arrived on the island of Kinmen, which is two kilometers from the coastal mainland city of Xiamen, on Saturday for a two-day visit.

The cross-Strait relations are at a new crucial point, and both sides should consider earnestly the future development of the ties, Zhang said.

The two sides of the Strait should stick to the path of peaceful development, enhance mutual trust, and handle sensitive problems properly so as to keep the right direction and momentum. They should adhere to the common political foundation, safeguard peace and stability across the Strait and avoid losing the achievements gained from peaceful development, he said.

Zhang called for efforts to deepen cooperation and exchanges and to build a community of shared destiny.

Saturday's meeting was the third formal meeting between the chiefs of cross-Strait affairs from the mainland and Taiwan.

During the meeting, the mainland reiterated it welcomes Taiwan's willingness to join the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. The two sides will keep in touch to seek a way for the island to join under a proper name.

The two sides agreed to facilitate the inking of water supply contract between Fujian Province and Kinmen as well as starting related construction at an early date.

They also agreed to push forward consultations and reach a consensus on the agreement of commodity trade and hold the 11th talk between heads of the mainland-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) and Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) at an early date.

They said they would conclude consultations on allowing the ARATS and SEF to set up offices on each other's side "as early as possible."

In addition, the two sides agreed to promote negotiations on allowing mainland air travelers to transfer in Taiwan and strive to reach an agreement by midyear.

The agreement also included strengthening economic and fishery cooperation, exchanges among the young and grass-root people, protections of rights of students studying on each other's side, and cooperation on repatriation of wanted fugitives.

"It took only half an hour to travel here from Xiamen, but exchanges between the two cities had suffered for about half a century because of civil war," Zhang said.

"The furthest distance is not separation by vast oceans, but when your compatriots are within reach, yet you cannot see each other," he said.

The former battlefield is now the frontline of exchanges, cooperation and mutual development, he said, adding that the story of Xiamen-Kinmen could serve as "an epitome of cross-Strait relations."

Since 2008, the two sides have created a new environment for the peaceful development of cross-Strait ties on the common political foundations of the 1992 consensus and opposition to "Taiwan independence", Zhang said.

While stressing that the mainland is consistent on key principles and its stance on cross-Strait ties, Zhang said differences should not hinder efforts to solve these differences through equal negotiations.

Zhang called on cross-Strait affairs departments to enhance exchanges, consolidate the common political foundation of the 1992 consensus, boost peaceful development of ties, and achieve more to benefit people on both sides.

Relations between the mainland and Taiwan stalled when the Kuomintang (KMT) forces, led by Chiang Kai-shek, fled to Taiwan in 1949 after civil war. Cross-Strait ties have improved since KMT chairman Ma Ying-jeou won Taiwan's leadership election in 2008, with dozens of agreements of cooperation signed.

Cross-Strait affairs chiefs were involved in mutual visits last year and set up a regular communication mechanism amid warming ties.

In a major breakthrough, Zhang made his long-awaited trip to Taiwan in June last year as the first Taiwan affairs chief from the mainland to do so in 65 years.

During Saturday's meeting, Hsia said the regular communication mechanism between the two departments, which has boosted cooperation and reduced misjudgments, should be maintained and expanded.

Hsia said learning lessons from the history, the two sides across the Strait do not want to engage in war anymore.

The peace and prosperity in the past seven years has proved that the two sides have "turned swords into ploughs," Hsia said, calling on people to cherish the hard-won progress.

The two sides should promote steady development of cross-Strait relations on the basis of the 1992 consensus to benefit the people, he said.

During his two-day visit, Zhang will also meet with the Kinmen County head and talk to people from all walks of life to hear their opinions on cross-Strait exchanges.

Beijing Union University professor Zhu Songling said Saturday's smooth meeting, despite a series of unexpected factors before, including a fatal plane crash in Feb. and personnel changes at Taiwan's mainland affairs committee, has consolidated the cross-Strait meeting and communication mechanism.

"On the common political foundation of the 1992 consensus, meetings between cross-Strait affairs organs from the mainland and Taiwan are becoming more orderly and steady, and the agreements and specific achievements reached will benefit people from both sides, especially those at the grassroots level," Zhu said.

Citing the water supply contract and an agreement on protecting the legal interests of students seeking education across the Strait, Zhu said that the meeting addressed people's demands in a concrete and timely manner.

Zhang Guanhua, deputy director the Beijing-based Institute of Taiwan Studies under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, described the agreement on making efforts to reach consensus on the pact of commodity trade as a "pleasant and major" decision that will influence cross-Strait economic and trade exchanges.

"Obstacles still remain for the pact on service trade between the two sides, and the agreement will relieve the doubts of all circles that are uncertain about the future of the commodity trade pact," Zhang said.

Zhang noted that discussions on Taiwan's joining the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank showcased the sincerity and good will of the mainland, calling for more positive communications and proper arrangements.

"Choosing Kinmen, where battles were fought and peace is witnessed, as the meeting place is an important gesture that symbolizes deepening cross-Strait mutual trust and cooperation in the future," Zhu said. Endi