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China has announced it will resume certain ties with Taiwan, including direct flights to mainland cities and imports of Taiwanese aquaculture products.
The move comes as the leader of Taiwan’s opposition party concludes her visit to Beijing.
The Taiwan Work Office, under China’s Communist Party, issued a statement indicating it would explore establishing a long-term communication mechanism between the Communist Party and Taiwan’s Kuomintang Party.
It also committed to facilitating the import of Taiwanese aquaculture, which had been banned in recent years. This follows a high-profile meeting on Friday between Cheng Li-wun, head of the Kuomintang, and Chinese President Xi Jinping, where both leaders called for peace without providing specific details.
Taiwan governs itself, but China asserts sovereignty over the island.
Relations between China and Taiwan have been strained since 2016, following the election of Tsai Ing-wen from the Democratic Progressive Party as president.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, right shakes hands with Kuomintang (KMT) party leader Cheng Li-wun in Beijing (Xinhua)
Since then, Beijing largely ceased official dialogue with Taiwan’s government in Taipei and has routinely dispatched military aircraft and vessels towards the island.
The measures outlined in the statement address connections that China had previously suspended as tensions escalated.
China plans to resume direct flights for other mainland cities like Xi’an or Urumqi to Taiwan, the statement said, although it remained unclear how the measures will be implemented.
China banned individual trips by Chinese people to Taiwan in 2019. Taiwan’s rules now require Chinese visitors to hold a valid resident visa from another country, like the U.S. or the European Union, to apply for a visitor visa.
China also said it would work toward construction of a bridge that would connect to Matsu and Kinmen, Taiwanese islands that are closer geographically to China. The project is a longstanding proposal that Beijing has previously announced.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, speaks during a meeting with Kuomintang (KMT) party leader Cheng Li-wun (Xinhua)
China banned the import of Taiwanese pineapples in 2021 and since then extended the import ban to products as varied as the grouper fish, squid, tuna and other fruits.
After the initial ban on grouper, Taiwan’s Ministry of Agriculture said it approached China about making adjustments to ensure it met import requirements. China replied with a limited list of individual companies that were allowed to sell to China, but without explanation.
Taiwan added it would “continuously assist farmers and businesses in expanding into overseas markets” in order to diversify risk, according to a statement it issued Saturday.
