January 19, 1998
SEF writes to ARATS to request a response on SEF's letter of November 7, 1997.
February 24, 1998
ARATS replies expressing its willingness to discuss arrangements for SEF-ARATS exchanges.
March 5, 1998
SEF replies to the ARATS letter dated February 24, saying that SEF will send a responsible representative in the near future to visit the mainland and meet with ARATS officials on exchanges for the two associations and to discuss SEF Chairman Koo's visits and other subsequent exchange programs. SEF also welcomes ARATS to send officials at a proper level to visit Taiwan.
March 11, 1998
ARATS writes to invite SEF officials at a proper level to lead a delegation of trade, academic or cultural representatives to visit the mainland.
March 17, 1998
SEF replies to ARATS, saying a delegation will be sent in mid-April to have an extensive exchange of views on SEF-ARATS contacts and matters of mutual concern.
March 26, 1998
ARATS welcomes visits by SEF delegations, but hopes SEF specifies the areas for visits and discussions.
April 3, 1998
SEF replies that it will send an official at the deputy secretary general level to visit the mainland in mid-April.
April 13, 1998
ARATS replies that it welcomes the visit by a SEF delegation led by its deputy secretary-general, and suggests the visit take place on on April 21 or 22.
April 17, 1998
SEF writes to ARATS that SEF deputy Secretary-general Jan Jyh-horng will lead the delegation to visit Beijing April 22 to 24 to exchange opinions on SEF-ARATS visits and other exchange programs.
April 20, 1998
ARATS replies to approve the visits by SEF deputy secretary-general Jan Jyh-horng.
May 12, 1998
SEF, in a letter to ARATS, says that for the purposes of promoting SEF-ARATS exchanges, SEF Deputy Secretary-general Jan Jyh-horng on April 23 invited ARATS Deputy Secretary-general Li Yafei to visit Taipei to exchange opinions in late May.
June 1, 1998
ARATS replies in a letter that it will choose a proper exchange program for Li to lead a delegation to visit to Taiwan at a proper time and that he will use the opportunity to exchange opinions on SEF Chairman Koo's visit to the Mainland.
June 19, 1998
In a letter to ARATS, SEF suggests that Chairman Koo visit the Mainland in autumn, and SEF Deputy Secretary-general Jan and Vice Chairman Shi Hwei-yow lead separate delegations to the Mainland to settle the details for Chairman Koo's visit.
June 25, 1998
In a reply, ARATS agrees that SEF Chairman Koo visit the Mainland in mid-September or October. Moreover, ARATS will send Deputy Secretary-general Li to lead a delegation to observe education in Taiwan in late July. ARATS, however, delays the Mainland visit by SEF Deputy Secretary-general Jan and indirectly rejects Vice Chairman Shi's visit to the Mainland.
July 6, 1998
ARATS says in a letter that Deputy Secretary-general Li Yafei will lead the Beijing City Middle and Elementary School Delegation on a visit to Taiwan from July 24-31.
July 9, 1998
In a reply, SEF agrees that ARATS Deputy Secretary-general Li visit Taiwan. SEF also expresses the hope to finalize SEF Chairman Koo's visit to the Mainland as soon as possible and suggests SEF and ARATS deputy secretary-generals exchange opinions first, with SEF Vice Chairman Shi and ARATS Vice Chairman Tang Shubei meeting later to finalize the details.
July 14, 1998
SEF acknowledges that ARATS Deputy Secretary-general Li will lead a delegation to visit Taiwan, adding that arrangements for the delegation's visit will be handled in line with the related measures of SEF and ARATS. SEF says it hopes that other delegates can file applications for entry to Taiwan through due process. However, other delegates fail to apply to enter Taiwan through due process.
July 17, 1998
ARATS sends a letter requesting two journalists be added to the delegation to visit Taiwan and asks SEF to arrange the necessary procedures.
July 24-31, 1998
ARATS Deputy Secretary-general Li Yafei leads the 22-member Beijing City Middle and Elementary School Delegation to visit Taiwan from July 24-31.
July 31, 1998
SEF writes to ARATS, expressing the wish for the two associations to promptly enter into discussions on the protection of tourists, Taiwan investments in the Mainland and on a joint campaign against crime.
August 19, 1998
In a letter, ARATS suggests that in the upcoming meeting, SEF Chairman Koo and ARATS Chairman Wang can exchange opinions on issues of mutual concern freely in an unofficial manner. ARATS suggests two alternative itineraries for Chairman Koo's trip to the Mainland, either September 15 to 21 or October 12 to 18.
August 21, 1998
In a letter to SEF, ARATS deletes the issue of legal jurisdiction from the agenda for practical talks, and put it on the agenda for political talks that shall be conducted under the principle of "one China."
September 3, 1998
In a letter to ARATS, SEF suggests that Chairman Koo visit the Mainland from October 14-19 and have two meetings with ARATS Chairman Wang. To make Koo's visit more significant, SEF suggests Vice Chairman Shi and related staff members visit Beijing in mid-September to directly finalize preparations for Koo's visit with ARATS Vice Chairman Tang.
September 8, 1998
In a letter, ARATS invites Liang Su-long, president of the Peaceful Reunification Promotion Association Across the Taiwan Strait, to lead a delegation to visit Beijing, Shanghai, and other cities in Northeast China from September 12-24.
September 14, 1998
In a letter, ARATS quotes remarks of the CCP Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman and the person-in-charge of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council as saying that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait should enter into political dialogue as soon as possible to prepare for the procedural discussions for cross-strait political talks.
September 15, 1998
In a letter, ARATS says it has taken into consideration SEF's change of Chairman Koo's itinerary for his Mainland visit. ARATS appoints Deputy Secretary-general Li to discuss with SEF deputy secretary general to finalize detailed arrangements for Koo's visit. ARATS also agrees that SEF Vice Chairman Shi visit Beijing prior to Koo's trip.
September 19, 1998
In a letter to ARATS, SEF says that Vice Chairman Shi will lead a delegation to meet ARATS Vice Chairman Tang in Beijing from September 22-24.
September 21, 1998
ARATS Chairman Wang meets with former legislator Liang Shu-long and other delegates of the Peaceful Reunification Promotion Association Across the Taiwan Strait. Wang expresses his hope to see "a resumption of negotiations and peaceful unification".
September 23, 1998
SEF Vice Chairman Shi meets ARATS Secretary-general Zhang Jincheng in Beijing and discusses Chairman Koo's visit.
September 22-24, 1998
SEF Vice Chairman Shi arrives in Beijing and meets with ARATS Vice Chairman Tang and Secretary-general Zhang to finalize preparations for the Koo-Wang Meeting in mid-October.
October 6, 1998
ARATS has a major personnel reshuffle, adding three vice chairmen -- Zhang Jincheng, Sun Yafu and Liu Zhentao - and a few advisors and board members.
October 14-19, 1998
SEF Chairman Koo, leading a delegation, arrives in Mainland China to meet with ARATS Chairman Wang. Later, Koo meets with PRC leaders Qian Qichen and Jiang Zemin.
October 14, 1998
While meeting with SEF Chairman Koo at the Peace Hotel, ARATS Chairman Wang says that the two sides should promptly enter into political talks and related procedural meetings for them. He repeats the substance of the "one China" principle.
October 15, 1998
During the second meeting between SEF Chairman Koo Chen-fu and ARATS Chairman Wang Daohan at the Qinjiang Hotel in Shanghai, the two reach four agreements: (1) Enhance the dialogue to resume systematic discussions. (2) Promote exchanges of visits between SEF-ARATS staff at various levels. (3) Actively provide mutual assistance on cases arising from exchanges. (4) Arrange a Taiwan visit for Mr. Wang at an appropriate time.
October 18, 1998
Several SEF delegates meet with Jiang Zemin. During the meeting, SEF Chairman Koo mentions Taiwan's achievements in political democratization and economic development and adds that Taiwan would be willing to share its experiences with Mainland China. Koo emphasizes that Mainland China's democratization is the key to reunification. Having a meeting between top leaders of the two sides could help find a way acceptable to the both sides in order to elevate the level of dialogue for eventual unification.
October 26, 1998
SEF Deputy Secretary-general Chang Liang-jen leads a delegation of college students to visit Beijing.
December 25, 1998
ARATS Vice Chairman Tang Shubei says that Chairman Wang Daohan's visit to Taiwan should be arranged at a time when cross-strait political and economic dialogue can make progress.
December 28-30, 1998
ARATS, under the sponsorship of the Research Center for Cross-strait Relations, holds a seminar on cross-strait relations in Beijing to fully understand the ROC's political developments and to solicit opinions of Taiwan representatives on the development of cross-strait relations.
December 29, 1998
SEF Chairman Koo Cheng-fu says at a SEF board of directors meeting that Wang Daohan's visit to Taiwan is to reciprocate his visit, which carries symbolic meaning.