CRI听力:CPC, KMT Leaders to Meet in Beijing

A mainland official says that leaders of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Taiwan-based Kuomintang (KMT) party will meet in Beijing in May.

A wide range of issues will be discusses by then among the top leaders.

Our reporter Guo Yan has the details.

Reporter:
Ma Xiaoguang, spokesperson of the Taiwan Work Office of the CPC Central Committee, says leaders of the two parties will exchange views on relations across the Taiwan Straits.

Ma says KMT Chairman Eric Chu will lead a delegation to Beijing after taking part in the Cross-Strait Economic, Trade and Culture Forum, which is scheduled to be held on May 3 in Shanghai.

The spokesperson describes the occasion as "an important event in the two parties' high-profile exchanges."

Yang Weizhong, the spokesperson for the Kuomintang, says the talks will focus on the prospects for cross-straits relations.

Shao Zonghai is director of the mainland affairs research center of the Chinese Culture University in Taiwan.

He points out AIIB will be a major topic at the meeting.

"I think one problem is the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank. Taiwan really hopes to play an important role in AIIB. However considering the special relationship between Taiwan and the mainland, Taiwan cannot be a member country but could be a member economy of the bank. And the title still has not been decided yet. We can see whether there will be some breakthrough to solve the problem."
Shao points out another issue might be the preferential policy towards Taiwan businessmen.

"In terms of protecting the interest of Taiwan businessmen, Premier Li Keqiang has made it very clear that the recent document issued by the State Council sticks to the previous preferential policy. This is a promise from the central government for Taiwan businessmen. "

He also believes other motions concerning the wellbeing of people from both sides of the straits will be raised in the meeting.

Ni Yongjie is the deputy director of the Taiwan Affairs research institute based in Shanghai.

He believes the meeting will be another milestone in cross-straits relations after the first meeting between the two parties' then top leaders taking place in 2005.

"Mutual trust between the two parties will be enhanced. The meeting will make progress on carrying on the 1992 consensus to promote the peaceful development of cross-straits relations. The meeting will also set a clear direction of the future of the relationship. It will make arrangements to encourage more common people from Taiwan to participate in the cross-straits communications. "

Experts expect the meeting could make clear the direction of the crosss-straits relationship in the future. And this will greatly help to secure the stable development between the mainland and Taiwan.

For CRI, I'm Guo Yan.