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Top-level mainland China official visits Taiwan

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zhang_zhijun_hands_up_simon_songOn June 25, Zhang Zhijun, head of the Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) under mainland China's State Council arrived in Taiwan for a four-day visit. It is the first visit by a top official from mainland China in charge of cross-Strait relations. Zhang stated he had two priorities during his trip: to hold a second formal meeting with his Taiwanese counterpart, Mainland Affairs Council Minister Wang Yu-chi, after the two met in mainland China this February; and to engage in direct dialogue with ordinary Taiwan citizens.

Zhang said most of his knowledge about Taiwan came from books and secondhand information, and he wanted to hear different voices to get to know Taiwan’s society, which is known for its diversity. “There remain many challenges and difficulties in cross-Strait affairs, but they can be settled as long as the two sides work together,” Zhang said.

As a step towards the establishment of reciprocal offices, Wang and Zhang agreed that officials from each side will be allowed to conduct humanitarian visits to detainees held by the other. Wang said again that Taiwan’s future is in the hands of its 23 million people; a response to Zhang's office saying earlier this month that Taiwan's future must be decided by all Chinese people, not only by the residents of Taiwan. Both Zhang and Wang also touched on such issues as bilateral trade and participation in regional economic blocs.

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