Another important point is that, unlike the first talks between Wang Daohan, late ARATS President, and Koo Chen-fu, late SEF Chairman, in 1993, the resumed talks this time were not held in a neutral venue, other than the mainland and Taiwan. In the past 15 years, the political and economic environment, as well as international environment has changed. The time that cross-straits talks needed the help of a third party has gone. This change brings forth the new concept that the fate and future of cross-straits relations should lie at the hands of people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits. SEF Chairman Chiang Pin-kun's formal invitation for ARATS President Chen Yunlin to visit Taiwan indicates that the time is ripe for ARATS' chief to land on the island. This will not only fulfill Wang Daohan's unrealized hope to visit Taiwan in his twilight years, but also represent an important step forward for the normalization of relations between ARATS and SEF.

Successful experiences

The resumption of ARATS-SEF talks symbolizes a new chapter of peaceful development in cross-straits relations. The most important achievements of the talks this time are the reestablishment of the channel and mechanism for regular negotiations across the Taiwan Straits, which can lay a solid foundation for mid- and long-term interaction. The goal proposed by CPC General Secretary Hu Jintao to "resume cross-straits negotiations and achieve tangible results" has been met. Cross-straits economic and trade relations will embrace a more open era, and there will be a gradual transition from one-way exchanges to two-way exchanges.

Both sides can draw a lot of experiences from the resumption of talks. Apart from putting aside disputes and negotiating on an equal footing, the most important experience is the "relay negotiation model." Before ARATS and SEF reached the formal agreements on weekend cross-straits charter flights and mainland tourists' visit to Taiwan, scholars and experts from both sides of the straits had carried out preliminary assessments, followed by talks between relevant industrial associations and between the CPC and several Taiwan parties. These dialogue platforms all contributed to the signing of the formal agreements. Therefore, after regular ARATS-SEF negotiations become the major channel for cross-straits talks, it's very important to establish a multi-level negotiation system and continue to bring into play the role of dialogues between political parties, academicians and industrial associations. This is expected to help future cross-straits negotiations on political issues.

The reality that the two sides across the straits resumed talks also tells the Democratic Progressive Party that the "Taiwan independence" road is doomed to fail. Only by setting the Taiwan people's benefits as the priority and returning to the one-China principle, can both sides across the Taiwan Straits launch effective negotiations and push cross-straits relations toward reconciliation, cooperation, peace and prosperity.