BBC News about Taiwan and China "deal"

China and Taiwan in landmark deal

Chen Yunlin's visit has prompted small pro-independence protests China and Taiwan have signed landmark agreements to improve direct trade and transport links, following the highest-level Chinese visit in decades.         The agreements are set to triple the number of weekly direct passenger flights and allow cargo shipments between ports in China and Taiwan. They also aim to improve the postal service and food safety. China claims sovereignty over Taiwan though they have been separately governed since 1949. The agreements were announced on the second day of a five-day visit to Taiwan by Chen Yunlin, China's top official for handling relations with Taiwan. Previously, sovereignty issues involving vessels and crews forced costly detours through third countries, while China-Taiwan flights were forced to stop in Hong Kong or Macau. Under the agreements: Direct charter flights will increase from 36 to 108, and can operate daily rather than four days out of seven Routes will be shortened and private business jet flights will be allowed Direct cargo shipments will be allowed between 11 Taiwan sea ports and 63 in China, tax free Sixty direct cargo flights will be allowed per month Direct postal links will be expanded to improve delivery time, currently up to 10 days Food safety alerts between the countries will be set up.   Taiwan has the diplomatic recognition of a handful of states. But since Mao Zedong's Communists won the Chinese civil war and the defeated Kuomintang fled to Taiwan, China has regarded it as a breakaway province which it has threatened to reunify using force.     Taipei protests The latest trade agreements come after the two sides held their first, high-level meeting in a decade in June this year, in Beijing.   The improvement in relations follows the election of President Ma Ying-jeou in Taiwan. Viewpoints: China-Taiwan deal   However, Mr Ma's overtures of ending decades of political rivalry with Beijing have sparked fierce protests in Taiwan, including accusations that he is "selling out" to the mainland. Pro-independence groups staged small protests around Taipei to coincide with Mr Chen's visit, waving flags and banners.   Thousands of police were deployed to ensure Mr Chen's safety, after his deputy Zhang Mingqing was jostled and knocked to the ground by protesters during a visit to Taiwan in October.   SUPPER HUANG, COMPANY MANAGER, 58, TAIPEI, TAIWAN Taiwan is an independent country with our own government, military, and judiciary. We have all the features of a sovereign state and we separated from China many years ago. We can talk to China on state-to-state business, just like EU member states talk to the US. But Taiwan's current government did not press the issue of Taiwan's sovereignty. This deal seems unfair to me because there was no equality between Taiwan and China. We did not even use our formal name - Taiwan - during the negotiations. Maybe there will be improved relations between the two sides and this is good - but we still worry that closeness to China might end up bringing us trouble in the future. I want to see the government talk openly about sovereignty rather than economics and trade. There was no public say in the current negotiations. Our congress could not monitor the talks . If there was some participation by the public or the congress, then I might have more confidence. XIAN, STUDENT, GUANGZHOU, CHINA I have always felt that Taiwan was a part of China. I am happy about the cross-strait trade deal. If trade relations improve, both sides will become friends. I think this deal is good for both sides of the Taiwan Strait, because shorter flight routes, shipping and other features will save us all money and time. This deal is not about political but about economic and trade relations. But even closer links - whatever they are - can be positive. I feel that if China becomes more democratic then Taiwanese people might become happy to be part of China. In mainland China today, we have no democracy. I am a university student and I know my fellow students feel that democracy is a requirement for China. I think Taiwan is a good example for China. In the past Taiwan was similar insofar as it was only ruled by one party - the Kuomintang. Today, the mainland of China is ruled by one party. If the Kuomintang can change, surely the Chinese Communist Party can change? This is long and difficult road, but I hope that China will complete it and win the respect of the rest of the world as a democratic country.

 

 

Nana 說:

怎麼沒人說說中國對準台灣的那幾百顆飛彈對和平造成的影響?

BBC didn't report that there were more than  600 thousand Taiwanese people protested in Taipei for Mr Ma's China policy either.

跟一個從不放棄用武力侵犯台灣的國家有啥約好簽? 幹麻要拿台灣的經濟實力去貼人家的冷屁股?

我真的很擔心 如果這樣繼續向共產黨靠攏過去 台灣恢復一黨專政 (這個黨可絕不會是國民黨!)

實施戒嚴 思想控制跟剝奪言論自由的日子也不遠了!

跟中國統一? 不只原有的均富生活被"平均稀釋掉" 連經過數十年民主運動爭取來的民主自由也順便沒了!

苦日子就要來了!

台灣人你準備好了嗎!?!?!?!?!