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| China set for landmark Taiwan talks | China set for landmark Taiwan talks |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| China and Taiwan are about to begin the highest-level talks since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949. | China and Taiwan are about to begin the highest-level talks since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949. |
| Taiwanese officials said they would raise press freedom after Beijing denied access to some media outlets to the four-day meeting in Nanjing. | Taiwanese officials said they would raise press freedom after Beijing denied access to some media outlets to the four-day meeting in Nanjing. |
| Beijing is likely to push Taiwan to pass a free trade deal that is currently stalled in parliament. | Beijing is likely to push Taiwan to pass a free trade deal that is currently stalled in parliament. |
| China insists that Taiwan is a part of its territory and has a stated aim of reclaiming the island. | China insists that Taiwan is a part of its territory and has a stated aim of reclaiming the island. |
| Taiwan still calls itself the Republic of China and nominally claims the same territory as the Communist government in Beijing, although it does not press these claims. | Taiwan still calls itself the Republic of China and nominally claims the same territory as the Communist government in Beijing, although it does not press these claims. |
| The US is committed to defending Taipei, despite not formally recognising Taiwan as an independent country. | The US is committed to defending Taipei, despite not formally recognising Taiwan as an independent country. |
| The situation has created a decades-long military stand-off between Beijing and Washington. | The situation has created a decades-long military stand-off between Beijing and Washington. |
| But cross-strait ties have improved since Taiwan's pro-Beijing President Ma Ying-jeou was elected in 2008. | But cross-strait ties have improved since Taiwan's pro-Beijing President Ma Ying-jeou was elected in 2008. |
| Cross-strait flights began in 2008, and tourists from the mainland have boosted Taiwan's economy. | Cross-strait flights began in 2008, and tourists from the mainland have boosted Taiwan's economy. |
| Trade agreements have allowed Taiwanese technology firms to expand massively, investing billions of dollars in the mainland. | Trade agreements have allowed Taiwanese technology firms to expand massively, investing billions of dollars in the mainland. |
| However, Mr Ma is deeply unpopular and analysts say his governing Kuomintang party is likely to lose local elections later this year. | |
| He has sent Taiwan's top cross-strait policy-maker Wang Yu-chi to meet mainland counterpart Zhang Zhijun in Nanjing. | He has sent Taiwan's top cross-strait policy-maker Wang Yu-chi to meet mainland counterpart Zhang Zhijun in Nanjing. |
| They are the first formal government-to-government talks since the 1949 split. | They are the first formal government-to-government talks since the 1949 split. |
| Taiwan negotiators are likely to propose the posting of permanent representatives on each other's territories. | Taiwan negotiators are likely to propose the posting of permanent representatives on each other's territories. |
| But they will also face pressure to talk about press freedom after China refused accreditation to several media outlets. | But they will also face pressure to talk about press freedom after China refused accreditation to several media outlets. |
| "Press freedom is a universal value," Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council said in a statement. | "Press freedom is a universal value," Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council said in a statement. |
| "We've repeatedly said that the most important thing regarding news exchange between the two sides is the free and equal flow of information." | "We've repeatedly said that the most important thing regarding news exchange between the two sides is the free and equal flow of information." |
| Many Taiwanese are sensitive to issues of press freedom, having lived under a dictatorship that tightly controlled the media until the 1980s. | Many Taiwanese are sensitive to issues of press freedom, having lived under a dictatorship that tightly controlled the media until the 1980s. |
| Correspondents say Beijing's negotiators are likely to press for closer economic co-operation. | Correspondents say Beijing's negotiators are likely to press for closer economic co-operation. |