Taipei, Feb. 18 (CNA) The first meeting of the cross-Taiwan Strait Economic Cooperation Committee (ECC) will be held in the northern city of Taoyuan over three days, starting Feb. 22, Taiwan's top Chinese affairs negotiating body said Friday in a press release.
The committee was established by the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) and its Chinese counterpart the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) to handle the implementation of the historical Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) between Taiwan and China.
The meeting, which was initially scheduled to take place in Beijing, will begin one day after the Chinese delegates arrive in Taiwan.
Zheng Lizhong, vice president of the ARATS, and SEF Vice Chairman Kao Koong-lian will serve as co-conveners of the committee. Meanwhile, Jiang Zhengwei, deputy minister of China's Ministry of Commerce, and Francis Liang, deputy minister Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) , will act as top representatives for both sides, according to the SEF.
The topics to be discussed in the meeting include the establishment of working groups, negotiation of follow-up agreements, and implementation of the ECFA's early harvest program, the SEF said.
The ECC meeting will overlap with ARATS President Chen Yunlin's visit Feb. 23-28, during which the top Chinese negotiator with Taiwan is scheduled to engage in a string of exchange activities in southern Taiwan. (By Chris Wang) enditem /pc