Taichung, Dec. 22 (CNA) Taiwan's top China affairs official on Tuesday lauded the results of the fourth round of negotiation between Taiwan and China as fruitful and said she envisions better bilateral relations.
Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Chairwoman Lai Shin-yuan addressed the Chinese delegation after Chiang Pin-kung and Chen Yunlin, heads of designated organizations that deal with cross-Taiwan Strait matter s in the absence of formal ties, signed three of four agreements on the meeting's agenda.
"In order for both sides of the strait to avoid war, pursue peace and establish a stable environment for exchanges, we have to resolutely take a path of institutionalized negotiations, which is the right one for cross-strait relations," Lai said.
The three agreements were on cooperation on the inspection and quarantine of agricultural products, standards testing and certification cooperation, and fishery labor cooperation.
An agreement on the avoidance of double taxation and strengthening of tax cooperation was not signed as both sides failed to reach consensus, citing "technical issues." The MAC chairwoman said that the agreements reached in the four rounds of talks so far have ensured an orderly and systematic progression of bilateral exchanges and that the unsigned agreement signified an institutionalized and mature negotiation process.
Views on cross-strait relations in Taiwan have been polarized and the Chinese might be confused at Taiwan's hesitance and unease despite China's goodwill and its arrangements, Lai acknowledged.
"But this is the norm in a diverse society and a fact that both sides need to deal with carefully," she advised.
The most important factor in cross-strait talks, she stressed, is gaining the support of the people because Taiwan, with a democratic government, has to listen to the people, respect them and respond swiftly.
The development of "peaceful and stable cross-strait relations can only go as far as people's support takes us," she said.