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China-Taiwan talks on trade ties | China-Taiwan talks on trade ties |
(about 2 hours later) | |
China's top negotiator on Taiwan affairs has arrived in Taipei for trade talks, which some Taiwanese fear could undermine the island's sovereignty. | |
Ahead of Chen Yunlin's arrival, tens of thousands of protesters rallied against the visit. | |
The two governments hope to sign a 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 |
Mr Chen is due to hold four days of talks on the proposed Economic Co-operation Framework Agreement (ECFA). | |
It is the fourth round of talks since Ma Ying-jeou - who is seen as being pro-China - became Taiwan's president last year. | |
Thousands of Taiwanese protested against the free-trade pact | Thousands of Taiwanese protested against the free-trade pact |
The BBC's correspondent in Taiwan, Cindy Sui, 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. | The Taipei government, however, says Taiwan will be marginalised by China in global trade if it does not sign. |
As he arrived for the talks in Taichung, Mr Chen hailed improving ties between China and Taiwan, but said he respected people's right to protest against his visit. | |
Demonstrators gathered outside his hotel on Monday, but numbers were much lower than the estimated 30,000 who had marched through Taichung on Sunday. | |
Mr Ma's pro-China stance once had a lot of support from the Taiwanese people, but his mishandling of the response to a devastating typhoon in August and other accusations of mistaken policies have dented his popularity. | |
Analysts say more people are now beginning to doubt his argument that closer economic ties with China will aid Taiwanese prosperity. | |
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. |