2010-08-05 14:52

TAIPEI - Taiwan and Singapore have agreed to discuss the feasibility of an economic cooperation agreement, a statement jointly issued by "Taipei Representative Office" in Singapore and Singapore's trade office in Taipei said Thursday.

Both the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu (Chinese Taipei) and Singapore were World Trade Organization (WTO) members, and the discussions would be held later this year, the statement said.

The statement added that Taiwan had kept close ties with Singapore and was grateful to Singapore in helping bring about the "Wang-Koo meeting" in 1993.

In April 1993, Wang Daohan, the then President of Chinese mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), and Koo Chen-fu, then Chairman of Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), held a historic "Wang-Koo meeting" in Singapore.

It was the first public meeting between leaders of the two organizations that were authorized by the mainland and Taiwan to handle cross-Strait affairs.

Also on Thursday, in response to inquiries, a spokesperson with the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office said that "We believe Singapore will adhere to the one-China policy, and properly handle its economic and trade relations with Taiwan accordingly."

We also hope Taiwan will safeguard the current common political foundation formed across the Strait and safeguard the peaceful development of cross-Strait ties, the spokesperson said.