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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| China and Taiwan in first government talks | China and Taiwan in first government talks |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| China and Taiwan have begun the highest-level talks since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949. | China and Taiwan have begun the highest-level talks since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949. |
| Wang Yu-chi and Zhang Zhijun, the top cross-strait officials from each side, are both attending the four-day talks in Nanjing. | Wang Yu-chi and Zhang Zhijun, the top cross-strait officials from each side, are both attending the four-day talks in Nanjing. |
| No official agenda has been released for the talks, which are widely seen as a confidence-building exercise. | No official agenda has been released for the talks, which are widely seen as a confidence-building exercise. |
| China regards Taiwan as part of its territory. In the past, all talks have gone via quasi-official organisations. | China regards Taiwan as part of its territory. In the past, all talks have gone via quasi-official organisations. |
| Mr Zhang, head of mainland China's Taiwan Affairs Office, said: "It's impossible to imagine in the past that we could sit here and meet [today]." | |
| "We must have some imagination if [we want to] resolve some difficulties, not just for such a meeting, we should also have a bigger imagination for cross-strait future development," he added. | |
| Mr Wang, head of Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council, described the meeting as "a new chapter for cross-strait relations". | |
| "For us to simply sit at the same table, sit down to discuss issues, is already not an easy thing." | |
| Improving ties | Improving ties |
| Given the sensitivities, the meeting room had no flags on display, and the officials' nameplates had no titles or affiliations, AFP news agency reported. | Given the sensitivities, the meeting room had no flags on display, and the officials' nameplates had no titles or affiliations, AFP news agency reported. |
| Beijing insists that Taiwan is part of China and has a stated aim of reclaiming the island. | Beijing insists that Taiwan is part of China 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 unpopular and analysts say his governing Kuomintang party is likely to lose local elections later this year. | However, Mr Ma is unpopular and analysts say his governing Kuomintang party is likely to lose local elections later this year. |
| 'Universal value' | 'Universal value' |
| The talks are the first formal government-to-government dialogue since the 1949 split. | The talks are the first formal government-to-government dialogue since the 1949 split. |
| For years, mainland China and Taiwan dealt with each other indirectly, though so-called friendship associations and trade groups, the BBC's Celia Hatton in Beijing reports. | For years, mainland China and Taiwan dealt with each other indirectly, though so-called friendship associations and trade groups, the BBC's Celia Hatton in Beijing reports. |
| Amid all the smiles, tension remains: China refuses to retract its long-standing threat that it could eventually take back Taiwan, by force if necessary, our correspondent adds. | Amid all the smiles, tension remains: China refuses to retract its long-standing threat that it could eventually take back Taiwan, by force if necessary, our correspondent adds. |
| 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. |