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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Top Chinese envoy on Taiwan visit | Top Chinese envoy on Taiwan visit |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| China's top official for handling relations with Taiwan has arrived in Taipei for a five-day visit. | China's top official for handling relations with Taiwan has arrived in Taipei for a five-day visit. |
| Chen Yunlin heads the Chinese body which handles relations with Taiwan and is expected to sign agreements on economic and transport issues. | Chen Yunlin heads the Chinese body which handles relations with Taiwan and is expected to sign agreements on economic and transport issues. |
| New Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou has promised to end decades of political rivalry with Beijing. | New Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou has promised to end decades of political rivalry with Beijing. |
| But Taiwanese pro-independence groups have promised to hold protests during the five-day visit. | But Taiwanese pro-independence groups have promised to hold protests during the five-day visit. |
| Mr Chen is head of China's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (Arats). | Mr Chen is head of China's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (Arats). |
| He will hold talks and sign agreements on direct shipping and air cargo links, food safety and a postal service with Chiang Pin-kun, head of Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF). | He will hold talks and sign agreements on direct shipping and air cargo links, food safety and a postal service with Chiang Pin-kun, head of Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF). |
| The two bodies manage ties between China and Taiwan in the absence of formal links since the civil war ended in 1949. | |
| Formal discussions are to begin on Tuesday. | Formal discussions are to begin on Tuesday. |
| Growing warmth | Growing warmth |
| Chen Yunlin's visit is being seen as a high point in previously strained relations between Beijing and Taipei, according to the BBC's Cindy Sui in Taipei. | Chen Yunlin's visit is being seen as a high point in previously strained relations between Beijing and Taipei, according to the BBC's Cindy Sui in Taipei. |
| Taiwan rules itself and has secured diplomatic recognition from a handful of states, but China regards it as a breakaway province. | Taiwan rules itself and has secured diplomatic recognition from a handful of states, but China regards it as a breakaway province. |
| It has claimed sovereignty over Taiwan since 1949, when Mao Zedong's Communists won the Chinese civil war and the defeated Kuomintang fled to Taiwan. | It has claimed sovereignty over Taiwan since 1949, when Mao Zedong's Communists won the Chinese civil war and the defeated Kuomintang fled to Taiwan. |
| The two sides held the first meeting in a decade in June this year, in Beijing. | The two sides held the first meeting in a decade in June this year, in Beijing. |
| KEY TOPICS UNDER DISCUSSION Direct flights and shippingPostal servicesFood safety, after various scares in mainland ChinaFinancial co-operation, in the wake of the global crisis Taiwan flashpoint "The hard ice between the two sides has already been shattered, the road has already been opened," said Wang Yi, head of the Taiwan Affairs Office in Beijing, at Chen's official send-off. | KEY TOPICS UNDER DISCUSSION Direct flights and shippingPostal servicesFood safety, after various scares in mainland ChinaFinancial co-operation, in the wake of the global crisis Taiwan flashpoint "The hard ice between the two sides has already been shattered, the road has already been opened," said Wang Yi, head of the Taiwan Affairs Office in Beijing, at Chen's official send-off. |
| "This will go down as a great event in the history of relations across the (Taiwan) Straits, he said." | "This will go down as a great event in the history of relations across the (Taiwan) Straits, he said." |
| Mr Chen is bringing a group of 60 people with him on his trip to Taipei. | Mr Chen is bringing a group of 60 people with him on his trip to Taipei. |
| Since President Ma took power in Taiwan in March, a series of trade and tourism deals have been reached with the mainland, including permission for up to 3,000 mainlanders to visit Taiwan every day. | Since President Ma took power in Taiwan in March, a series of trade and tourism deals have been reached with the mainland, including permission for up to 3,000 mainlanders to visit Taiwan every day. |
| However, Mr Ma's overtures have sparked fierce protests in Taiwan, including accusations that he is "selling out" Taiwan to the mainland. | However, Mr Ma's overtures have sparked fierce protests in Taiwan, including accusations that he is "selling out" Taiwan to the mainland. |
| Pro-independence groups say they will camp outside parliament for three days this week among other protests. | Pro-independence groups say they will camp outside parliament for three days this week among other protests. |
| "If Ma's government keeps talking like this to China, it definitely has political implications," said Cheng Wen-tsang, spokesman for the opposition Democratic Progressive Party, which favours formal independence from China. | "If Ma's government keeps talking like this to China, it definitely has political implications," said Cheng Wen-tsang, spokesman for the opposition Democratic Progressive Party, which favours formal independence from China. |
| A less senior envoy from Beijing who visited Taiwan last month was pushed to the ground in scuffles by protesters. | A less senior envoy from Beijing who visited Taiwan last month was pushed to the ground in scuffles by protesters. |
| Are you from the region? What do you make of the visit? Send us your comments using for form below: | Are you from the region? What do you make of the visit? Send us your comments using for form below: |
| In most cases a selection of your comments will be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. | In most cases a selection of your comments will be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. |