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Slowdown could aid ties with Taiwan

By Wang Qian (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-03-23 08:16

Ties between Taiwan and the mainland will be significantly enhanced if the two sides cooperate to fight the global economic slowdown, former vice-chairman of the standing committee of the National People's Congress Xu Jialu said on Saturday.

Xu Jialu, former vice-chairman of the National People's Congress standing committee, speaks to media after a forum in Taipei on Saturday. [China News Service]

A 14-member delegation, headed by Xu, arrived in Taipei on Saturday to attend the closing ceremony of the third Cross-Straits Summit Forum on Hakka Affairs. Xu will stay there for a week.

After his arrival at Taipei Taoyuan International Airport, Xu said returning was a dream he had had for 13 years and he felt at home the moment he stepped on the island.

Xu told local media that with the three direct links across the Straits having been realized, peaceful development and mutual prosperity would be the focus of his visit.

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He said compared with the last time he came 13 years ago, the two sides have made progress in economic cooperation and in talks between the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits and the Strait Exchange Foundation.

"With a good foundation, more progress will be expected in the near future," Xu was quoted by Xinhua as saying.

On Dec 15 last year, the two sides started direct air, sea transportation and postal services, which ended a six-decade ban.

The cross-Straits forum on Hakka affairs has at least 500 participants, including more than 170 experts from the mainland.

The theme of the forum is building a brilliant future across the Straits through cooperation, with four sub-forums on cultural creativity, economic trade and cooperation, agricultural development and youth elite.

Xinhua contributed the story