January 6, 2011
Regarding the formation of the Cross-Strait Economic Cooperation Committee (CSECC) , the SEF and the ARATS decide, after negotiations and exchange of documents, to appoint SEF Vice Chairman and Secretary-General Kao Koong-lian and ARATS Vice Chairman Zheng Lizhong as the joint convenors of the Committee for the two sides. Moreover, according to Article 11 of the Cross-Strait Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA), each side will respectively designate its representatives on the Committee.
January 15, 2011
A conflict occurs when a Mainland fishing boat was crossing into the waters of Little Kinmen to fish. The SEF sends a letter to the ARATS to request that the related agencies in the Mainland inform the involved fishermen and fishing boats that Taiwan's law enforcement agencies will tightly crack down on any illegal fishing in Taiwan's waters.
February 9, 2011
Regarding the Philippine's extradition to mainland China of 14 Taiwan nationals suspected of telecommunication fraud, SEF Vice Secretary-General Ma Shao-chang states, on the day of the extradition (February 2), the SEF sent a letter to the ARATS demanding that the 14 suspects be promptly repatriated to Taiwan according to the Cross-Strait Joint Crime-Fighting and Judicial Mutual Assistance Agreement. On February 4, the SEF again made four additional demands of the ARATS: to reaffirm the Mainland's respect for Taiwan's jurisdiction in this incident; to inform the location where the suspects are detained; to inform the method for family visits; and to guarantee the litigation rights and interests of the suspects, including their right to defense. On February 5, the ARATS replied that the said four demands had been forwarded to the related competent authorities. It also informed that the suspects were detained in Beijing and that the judiciary would ensure their (the suspects') basic rights and interests according to judicial procedures.
February 22, 2011
The SEF and the ARATS hold the first regular meeting of the Cross-Strait Economic Cooperation Committee (CSECC) under the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA). The two sides reach several points of consensus, including the establishment of six working groups to carry out ECFA follow-up work on trade in goods, trade in services, investment, dispute resolution, industrial cooperation, and customs cooperation. They also agree to begin negotiations on three follow-up agreements covering trade in goods, trade in services, and dispute resolution.
February 23, 2011
ARATS Chairman Chen Yunlin leads the "2011 ARATS Economic and Trade Mission" to visit Taiwan from February 23 to 28. The mission is joined by over 20 ARATS directors or entrepreneurs from Mainland enterprises represented on the ARATS board of directors.
March 9, 2011
The ARATS sends a telegram to congratulate the SEF on its 20th anniversary of the establishment.
March 11, 2011
The SEF sends a letter to the ARATS expressing sympathy over the earthquake disaster in Yingjiang, Yunnan.
March 30, 2011
SEF spokesperson Ma Shao-chang states that the SEF has contacted the ARATS over talks on nuclear security cooperation. It hopes that the two sides can complete negotiations before the Seventh Chiang-Chen Talks and sign an agreement, and that the competent authorities of the two sides can accelerate preparations.
April 14, 2010
The Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) sends letters to the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) expressing deep concern and sympathy over the earthquake in the Qinghai area of mainland China.
April 15, 2010
The Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) sends a letter to the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) stating that the Mainland has sufficient rescue resources in the disaster-hit area of Qinghai and that it will immediately contact the SEF if there are any rescue needs.
April 24, 2010
The Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) writes back to the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) thanking Taiwan for the donations and assistance for post-quake reconstruction in Yushu. The ARATS also informs that it will forward the funds to the reconstruction work in the disaster area.
May 13, 2011
SEF Chairman Chiang Pin-kung leads a media delegation to mainland China and meets with ARATS Chairman Chen Yunlin in Shanghai. During the meeting, Chiang expresses hope that the Seventh Chiang-Chen Talks can be held in the first half of this year. Chen states that the SEF and the ARATS are currently intensifying negotiations on the Cross-Strait Investment Protection Agreement, trade in goods, trade in services, dispute resolution mechanisms, and other ECFA follow-up issues. Moreover, the two sides are likely to begin talks on nuclear power safety cooperation soon, an issue of deep concern to compatriots on both sides of the Strait.
June 8, 2011
The first Review Meeting of Cross-Strait Agreements'Results is held in Taipei. The two sides conduct a substantive review on implementation of the Cross-Strait Agreement on Mainland Tourists Traveling to Taiwan, the Cross-Strait Air Transport Agreement, the Cross-Strait Agreement on Cooperation in Quarantine and Inspection of Agricultural Products, the Cross-Strait Food Safety Agreement, and the Cross-Strait Joint Crime-Fighting and Judicial Mutual Assistance Agreement, and implementation on issues of concern.
June 21, 2011
The SEF and the ARATS complete the document exchange and confirm the Third Amendment to the Supplementary Agreement on Cross-Strait Air Transport and the First Amendment to the Cross-Strait Agreement on Travel by Mainland Residents to Taiwan.
June 25, 2011
The SEF and the ARATS complete mutual notification to bring the Cross-Strait Agreement on Medical and Health Cooperation into effect.
July 23, 2011
The SEF contacts the Mainland side to confirm that no Taiwan persons were among those wounded or killed by a train collision on the Mainland high-speed rail system near Wenzhou.
July 27, 2011
The SEF and the ARATS complete an exchange of documents and notification regarding individual travel by Fujian residents to the Kinmen, Matsu, and Penghu areas. The new policy officially begins on July 29.
August 16, 2011
An accident in Jilin Province involving a bus of Taiwan tourist group results in the death of four and injury of 15 Taiwan visitors. The ARATS reports the relevant situation to the SEF in Taiwan.
August 23, 2011
The SEF issues a press release indicating that on May 26, 2008, it sent a letter to the ARATS expressing "hope that the SEF and the ARATS can promptly resume institutionalized negotiations on the foundation of the '1992 Consensus'." In a reply letter dated May 29, the ARATS stated that "the ARATS agrees to the SEF's suggestion to promptly resume SEF-ARATS contacts, consultations, and negotiations on the foundation of the '1992 Consensus'." Judging from this, it is evident that the 15 agreements signed between the SEF and the ARATS during the course of six talks have all been based on the "1992 Consensus." Therefore, DPP Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen's denial of the "1992 Consensus" destroys this foundation, not only creating problems for the implementation of present agreements, but also making future negotiations impossible.
September 13, 2011
At the 2011 mid-Autumn gathering of the Taiwanese Businessmen Associations, SEF Chairman Chiang Pin-kung states that the SEF-ARATS platform is like a bridge whose pier is the "1992 Consensus," without which there would not have been a platform. If without the platform, the 15 "highways" (meaning the 15 agreements signed between the SEF and the ARATS)" would naturally not have existed.
September 20, 2011
SEF Vice Chairman and Secretary-General Kao Koong-lian leads a "Mission Caring for Taiwan Businesses in Zhejiang" to Yiwu, Huzhou, Jiaxing, Jiashan, and Hangzhou in Zhejiang Province, mainland China. On September 22, he will meet with ARATS Vice Chairman Zheng Lizhong in Huzhou for an exchange of views.
September 21, 2011
SEF Chairman Chiang Pin-kung attends the Sixth Taiwan Business Forum in Huai'an and meets with ARATS Vice Chairman Wang Fuqing.
October 18, 2011
At the press conference before the Seventh Chiang-Chen Talks, SEF Chairmen Chiang Pin-kung states that the SEF and the ARATS have discussed and then decided to hold the seventh talks from October 19 to 21 in Tianjin City. At the talks, the two sides will sign the Cross-Strait Nuclear Power Safety Cooperation Agreement. As for the Cross-Strait Investment Protection Agreement, due to the broad scope and its highly specialized nature, as well as differences between the internal laws, regulations, procedures, and systems of the two sides, more time is needed for internal coordination on both sides as well as for further communication between the two sides. Therefore, the SEF and the ARATS have agreed to continue discussion on this issue and sign the Agreement at the next round of talks.
October 19, 2011
SEF Chairmen Chiang Pin-kung leaves for mainland China to attend the Seventh Chiang-Chen Talks. At Taoyuan Airport, he outlines the mission this time: 1) "Security": The Cross-Strait Nuclear Power Safety Cooperation Agreement to be signed is a very important pact for handling future cross-strait nuclear power safety issues and protecting the life and property of the people; 2) "Guarantee": It is hoped that the agreement on guaranteeing the investment rights and interests of Taiwan businesses in mainland China can be smoothly signed at the eighth talks; 3) "Industrial Development": Cross-strait industrial cooperation is absolutely beneficial not only to Taiwan's economy but also to economic developments on both sides; 4) "Follow Up": The two sides are to fully exchange views on the implementation status of the 15 agreements signed earlier and seriously discuss about where improvements can be made on each agreement; 5) "Planning": The two sides are to carry out discussion of the issues that they hope to complete at the eighth talks; and lastly, "Exchanges": They are to plan areas in which the two sides can continue to strengthen exchanges over the coming year.
October 19, 2011
At a welcome reception for the members of the negotiation delegation led by SEF Chairman Chiang Pin-kung, ARATS Chairman Chen Yunlin states that the SEF and the ARATS have signed 15 agreements and reached two major points of consensus during the course of six talks. These achievements have contributed to the fruitful results of peaceful development between the two sides. The past three years of practice have also demonstrated again that the peaceful development of cross-strait relations is the right choice for compatriots on both sides and accords with their shared interests.
October 20, 2011
In a speech presented at the Seventh Chiang-Chen Talks, SEF Chairmen Chiang Pin-kung states that institutionalized negotiations and interactions between the SEF and the ARATS are yardsticks of the benign development of cross-strait relations as well as guarantees of regional peace and prosperity. The agreements signed through institutionalized cross-strait negotiations have brought many substantive benefits for exchanges across the Strait. It is hoped that the two sides can continue to effectively advance on urgent matters of deep concern to both sides via the contact channels and platforms established under various agreements. Furthermore, the two sides should continue to build peaceful and stable long-term cross-strait relations on the existing foundation. Moreover, through the mature operation of institutionalized negotiations, they should consolidate the foundation of mutual trust and promote cross-strait exchanges in economic, trade, cultural, and other spheres in a gradual and orderly manner, and establish an external environment beneficial to cross-strait developments and developments on each side.
October 20, 2011
SEF Chairman Chiang Pin-kung and ARATS Chairman Chen Yunlin sign the Cross-Strait Nuclear Power Safety Cooperation Agreement at the seventh talks in Tianjin. They also reach joint opinions on phased achievements for the Cross-Strait Investment Protection Agreement and on the issue of strengthening industrial cooperation between the two sides. Furthermore, the two sides agree to list the yet unconcluded Cross-Strait Investment Protection Agreement as a focal issue for promotion at the eighth SEF-ARATS talks. In addition, the two sides will still continue to focus on negotiations related to follow-up agreements to the Cross-Strait Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) and can sign agreements on any related items of mutual consensus. For example, "customs cooperation" can be listed as a priority issue for negotiation.
November 1, 2011
The SEF and the ARATS hold the second regular meeting of the ECFA Cross-Strait Economic Cooperation Committee in Hangzhou, mainland China. The meeting is convened by SEF Vice Chairman Kao Koong-lian and ARATS Executive Vice Chairman Zheng Lizhong. The two sides profoundly exchange views on the implementation status of the ECFA Early Harvest Program for trade in goods and services, negotiations on the four ECFA follow-up agreements, industrial cooperation, customs cooperation, mutual establishment of offices by economic and trade groups on the two sides, the promotion of other economic cooperation affairs, and key promotion areas and planning related to the ECFA over the next six months.
November 8, 2011
The SEF issues a press release on a case involving the mugging of Taiwan resident Hu Chi-yang while in mainland China. It states that the SEF contacted the victim's family on November 7 to express deep concern and immediately notified the ARATS. Through SEF-ARATS contact channels, the Foundation contacted the Fujian Provincial Office of Taiwan Affairs. That evening, the ARATS replied that the matter had been resolved and that Hu could return to Taiwan. The family returns to Taiwan on November 8.
November 9, 2011
The ARATS sends a reply letter to the SEF on the case involving Taiwan resident Hu Chi-yang. The letter states that a special investigation team is now carrying out full-scale investigations.
November 10, 2011
Regarding the hand-severing incident in the Mainland involving Taiwan resident Hu Chi-yang, SEF Deputy Secretary-General Ma Shao-chang states that the Foundation has sent a follow-up letter to the Ministry of Justice and the ARATS requesting that the judicial mutual assistance agreement be applied to determine the truth and apprehend the assailant as soon as possible.
November 22, 2011
At the "Association of Taiwan Compatriots' Investment Enterprises Leaders Meeting" in Wenzhou, Zhejiang, ARATS Vice Chairman Zheng Lizhong emphasizes that cross-strait relations have been able to achieve major breakthroughs because both sides have adhered to the "1992 Consensus," which is the necessary premise for negotiations between the SEF and the ARATS, an important foundation for the peaceful development of cross-strait relations, and the key to further deepening developments in the future.
November 26, 2011
Regarding the case involving the missing Taiwan's Asia University student Chen Shih-huai who was traveling to Shenzhen, the SEF states that on the morning of November 17, it sent an official letter to related units in the Mainland. The SEF will continue to actively handle this case with assistances from the ARATS and the Shenzhen Municipal Taiwan Affairs Office.
December 29, 2011
In a speech presented at a year-end press conference, SEF Vice Chairman Kao Koong-lian emphasizes that the "1992 Consensus" was authorized by the competent authority, and then confirmed by an exchange of correspondence between the SEF and the ARATS in 1992. This is a fact.