China announced a series of measures to boost ties with Taiwan on Sunday following a rare visit by the island’s opposition leader Cheng Li-wun.
Among the 10 measures announced, China said it would explore setting up a regular communication mechanism between the ruling Communist Party and Taiwan’s opposition Kuomintang (KMT).
It would also seek “the full resumption of normalized direct air passenger flights” between Taiwan and mainland China, adding new cities like Urumqi, Xi’an, Harbin, Kunming and Lanzhou, while easing some restrictions on travel to the self-governing island.
China will also facilitate the import of certain Taiwanese agricultural products, after banning the import of pineapples, squid, tuna and other produce from Taiwan in recent years.
China will also allow Taiwanese dramas, documentaries and animations to be broadcast — provided they are “correctly oriented, wholesome and high-quality.”
Beijing courts Kuomintang during opposition leader’s visit
Taiwan is self-governed, but China considers the island to be part of its territory. Taiwan’s government, led by the nationalist Democratic Progressive Party, did not immediately respond to the announcement on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the vice chair of the opposition Kuomintang — which once fought against the Communists but has now adopted a more pro-Beijing stance — said the announcement was “highly welcome.”
“They are particularly in line with the expectations of various sectors in Taiwan and constitute a significant boost to the peaceful development of cross-strait relations,” Chang Jung-kung said.
Kuomintang chair Cheng Li-wun wrapped up a six-day visit to China in which she met with President Xi Jinping.
After their meeting on Friday, Cheng told reporters that “by opposing Taiwan independence, we can avoid war.”
Edited by: Karl Sexton