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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| China-Taiwan talks on trade ties | China-Taiwan talks on trade ties |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A top Chinese official is in Taiwan for trade talks which some fear could undermine the island's sovereignty. | A top Chinese official is in Taiwan for trade talks which some fear could undermine the island's sovereignty. |
| Ahead of the talks, tens of thousands of protesters rallied against the visit by the Chinese negotiator on Taiwan, Chen Yunlin. | Ahead of the talks, tens of thousands of protesters rallied against the visit by the Chinese negotiator on Taiwan, Chen Yunlin. |
| The two governments hope to sign the free-trade pact by early next year. | The two governments hope to sign the free-trade pact by early next year. |
| The visit comes as Taiwan debates how close a relationship it wants with its former rival China, which still claims the island as part of its territory. | The visit comes as Taiwan debates how close a relationship it wants with its former rival China, which still claims the island as part of its territory. |
| Unification concerns | Unification concerns |
| On Sunday, up to 30,000 demonstrators marched through the city of Taichung, where the talks are to be held, chanting independence slogans and waving anti-China banners, police said. | On Sunday, up to 30,000 demonstrators marched through the city of Taichung, where the talks are to be held, chanting independence slogans and waving anti-China banners, police said. |
| Thousands of Taiwanese protested against the free-trade pact | |
| Mr Chen is due to hold five days of talks on the proposed Economic Co-operation Framework Agreement (ECFA). | Mr Chen is due to hold five days of talks on the proposed Economic Co-operation Framework Agreement (ECFA). |
| It is the fourth round of talks since China-friendly Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou took office last year. | It is the fourth round of talks since China-friendly Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou took office last year. |
| The BBC's Cindy Sui in Taichung says critics fear a free-trade pact will flood Taiwan with cheap Chinese products, cause massive job losses, and undermine the island's sovereignty by making it too economically dependent on China. | The BBC's Cindy Sui in Taichung says critics fear a free-trade pact will flood Taiwan with cheap Chinese products, cause massive job losses, and undermine the island's sovereignty by making it too economically dependent on China. |
| The Taipei government, however, says Taiwan will be marginalised by China in global trade if it does not sign. | |
| Taiwan and China have been governed separately since the end of a civil war in 1949. | Taiwan and China have been governed separately since the end of a civil war in 1949. |
| Taiwan's opposition Democratic Progressive Party - which supports formal independence from China - made huge gains in local elections earlier this month. | Taiwan's opposition Democratic Progressive Party - which supports formal independence from China - made huge gains in local elections earlier this month. |