CHINA> Taiwan, HK, Macao
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CHINA> Taiwan, HK, Macao
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ARATS chief concludes historic Taiwan visit
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-11-07 16:58
BEIJING -- The Chinese mainland chief negotiator on Taiwan affairs, Chen Yunlin, returned to Beijing Friday afternoon completing a five-day historic visit to Taiwan. Chen, president of the mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), arrived at the Beijing Capital International Airport at 13:50 local time. "There were indeed disruptions during the Taiwan visit, but the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations will benefit Taiwan people and is also the inevitable trend of history," Chen said at the airport. "We firmly believe that the sense of justice is common to all people," he said. Chen visited Taiwan at the invitation of Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF). His visit marked the first ever talks between ARATS and SEF leaders on the island. Before leaving Taipei, Chen said his trip had completed "a long-awaited and honored mission entrusted by compatriots across the Taiwan Straits." "The road ahead is still very long and there will be various difficulties, but we will definitely take our responsibility," he said, adding that the ARATS and the SEF will live up to the expectations of compatriots from both sides. SEF chairman Chiang Pin-kung praised Chen's visit at the ceremony, saying that it was short but "fruitful". |
