Beijing has offered US$19 billion in loans to Taiwan companies operating on the mainland. The loans, announced at a weekend meeting between officials from Beijing and Taipei, would see Beijing provide the loans over three years as well as purchase US$2 billion worth of flat-panel displays from Taiwan manufacturers. The loans would be provided by [...]
The first daily direct flights and regularly scheduled shipping services between Taiwan and the Chinese mainland have begun. Taiwan and mainland airlines will have up to a combined 54 flights per week across the Taiwan Strait, and will no longer have to pass through the waters or airspace of other countries [...]
China’s Defense Ministry hardened its line over US plans to sell US$6 billion worth of advanced weapons to Taiwan. Last month, the US agreed to sell Taipei arms, including Patriot air defense missiles, Apache helicopters and parts for F-16 aircraft, which Beijing has condemned. “The US government and military have used the Taiwan issue to [...]
China’s President Hu Jintao told US President-elect Barack Obama that the proper handling of the Taiwan issue would be of benefit to Sino-US relations. The comments were made during a telephone conversation between the two men, according to state media reports released on Sunday. Obama is said to have told Hu that the Sino-US relationship [...]
The mainland’s top negotiator with Taiwan said the recent anti-Beijing protests on the island would not hinder efforts to strengthen cross-strait relations. Chen Yunlin, who is on a five-day visit to Taiwan this week that has so far resulted in deals on cross-strait transport, said that although some Taiwanese have differing views on relations with [...]
Officials from Taiwan and mainland China signed four agreements in Taipei yesterday in the latest show of firming cross-Strait economic ties. Among the agreements, direct cross-Strait cargo flights will be introduced, with up to 60 round trips per month, while direct passenger flights will be tripled to 108 per week. China will also expand the [...]
China canceled a series of military and diplomatic contacts with the US after American officials announced on Friday a US$6.5 billion arms sale to Taiwan. Cancellations include a visit to the US by a senior Chinese general, port calls by naval vessels, cooperation on meetings regarding weapons of mass destruction, and humanitarian assistance and disaster [...]
Beijing criticized US plans to sell Taiwan more than US$6 billion worth of weapons as a “crude interference” in China’s internal affairs. The arms package, which includes Patriot air defense missiles, Apache helicopters and spare parts for F-16 fighter jets, was agreed to in 2001. But the deal was apparently stalled due to US displeasure [...]
Countries have increased testing of imported foods from mainland China as the tainted-milk scandal raises doubts abroad about Chinese-made products. Taiwan and Indonesia have banned mainland-made dairy products, joining at least 10 other regions that have done the same. Chinese authorities have told the public that no traces of melamine – which has sickened over [...]