China announced a package of measures on Sunday to bolster ties with Taiwan following a rare visit by the island’s opposition leader, Cheng Li-wun. The 10-point plan includes exploring a regular communication mechanism between the ruling Communist Party and Taiwan’s opposition Kuomintang (KMT).
Beijing said it would seek the full resumption of normalized direct passenger flights between Taiwan and the mainland, adding cities such as Urumqi, Xi’an, Harbin, Kunming and Lanzhou, and easing some travel restrictions to the self-governing island. It also pledged to facilitate imports of certain Taiwanese agricultural products after years of bans on items including pineapples, squid and tuna.
China will permit Taiwanese dramas, documentaries and animations to be broadcast on the mainland provided they are “correctly oriented, wholesome and high-quality.”
Taiwan is self-governed, but China regards the island as part of its territory. Taiwan’s government, led by the Democratic Progressive Party, had not immediately responded to the announcement. The KMT’s vice chair described the measures as “highly welcome,” saying they align with expectations across sectors in Taiwan and significantly boost peaceful cross-strait development, according to Chang Jung-kung.
Cheng Li-wun concluded a six-day visit to China in which she met President Xi Jinping. After their meeting, Cheng told reporters that “by opposing Taiwan independence, we can avoid war.”
Edited by: Karl Sexton