RESTRICTED
statistics issued by the Taiwan authorities, 360 mainland Chinese have visited Taiwan since the decision to allow mainlanders to visit sick relatives and attend funerals was announced.
9.
The first group of mainland students legally allowed to visit Taiwan under the recently approved government policy arrived in Taipei on 20 December. The students, all in their 30s, are studying for doctoral degrees in the United States. During their 10 day stay, they visited private and governmental organisations, including the Legislative Yuan. The PRC welcomed the visit as a "step forward" but criticised the preconditions set by the Taiwan authorities that each student must submit a short CV and declare his or her political beliefs. Members of the Chinese Communist Party are forbidden entry to Taiwan.
10.
The Taiwan people responded generously to the decision by the KMT authorities to offer disaster relief to China after the Yunnan earthquake. In early December Taiwan's Red Cross Society sent a donation of US $1 million, the first in a series of donations. Since the appeal was launched, the Red Cross Society has received more than NT $30 million in donations from Taiwan citizens.
11.
Indirect trade between Taiwan and the PRC was worth US $2.4 billion in 1988. This makes the PRC Taiwan's fifth-largest trading partner, and Taiwan the mainland's sixth-largest. Raw materials are the growth import to Taiwan. Taiwan's investment in the mainland continues to rise. Investment in Xiamen, Fujian Province, by Taiwan businessmen accounts for over 50% of the total investment by foreign and overseas Chinese businessmen. In the period from January to September 1988 they invested some US $57.33 million in the city.
12. An incident took place in the Taiwan Strait in early December when a Taiwan Navy Patrol boat attacked three Chinese fishing boats illegally trading along Taiwan's northern coast. Six fishermen were wounded, one seriously. The Taiwan authorities have adopted a hardline policy towards the increasing number of mainland fishing boats trading illegally in the Taiwan Straits. It is reported that the authorities confiscate the goods and burn the boats. Over the past 2 months over 30 mainland fishing junks have been burned.
24 January 1989
Far Eastern Section Research Department
AR2AFC
RESTRICTED
Page 105Page 106
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.