Mainland negotiator concludes Taiwan visit

KINMEN - Chen Yunlin, the mainland's top negotiator on cross-Straits affairs, on Wednesday wrapped up a 10-day visit to Taiwan designed to promote cooperation in cultural and creative industries.

Chiang Pin-kung, chairman of the Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), and officials of Kinmen county saw their visitor off at the local dock.

Chen, president of the mainland-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), thanked the SEF for arranging the visit and expressed the hope that the tour will help promote cross-Straits cooperation in cultural and creative industries.

Chen and his delegation arrived in Taipei on September 10 and have traveled across Taiwan, visiting places ranging from New Taipei City in the north to the southern resort town of Kenting.

During the visit, Chen and his delegation also attended a symposium on expanding cross-Straits cooperation in cultural and creative industries, and a forum of calligraphers and painters from the two sides of the Straits, and visited local cultural and creative industry zone.

The ARATS delegation led by Chen includes business executives, academics and experts associated with cultural and creative industries.

This is Chen's second visit to Taiwan in just over a month. He paid a three-day visit to the island in August and held the eighth round of talks between the ARATS and the SEF.

As a result of the talks, Chen and Chiang signed two key agreements on investment protection and customs cooperation.

Founded in 1991 and 1990, respectively, the ARATS and the SEF are authorized by the mainland and Taiwan to handle cross-Straits affairs.