Mainland official stresses cross-strait media cooperation, China

A senior mainland official on Tuesday called for enhanced cross-strait media cooperation in order to boost cross-strait relations. Chen Deming, president of the mainland-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), made the call while meeting with a Taiwanese media delegation led by Lin Join-sane, chairman of the Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF). Chen applauded the efforts that cross-strait media have made in promoting mutual communication, as well as the peaceful development of cross-strait relations. The cross-strait service trade agreement, which was signed by the two sides at the ninth round of cross-strait talks held in June this year, is a mutually beneficial agreement and will integrate Taiwan's service industry into mainland's broader market, Chen said. According to the agreement, the Chinese mainland will open 80 service-based sectors to Taiwan, while Taiwan will open 64 sectors to the mainland. The delegation is on a six-day visit to Beijing and Liaoning Province. ARATS and SEF are authorized by the mainland and Taiwan, respectively, to handle cross-strait affairs.