Hotline between Chinese mainland and Taiwan opened

World Today

A telephone hotline between China mainland officials and Taiwan officials was officially put into use on Wednesday, and chiefs of cross-strait affairs from both sides have used it to speak to each other, according to a mainland spokesperson.

Ma Xiaoguang, spokesman for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, said the first call was between Zhang Zhijun, director of the Taiwan Affairs Office, and Andrew Hsia, head of Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council, who wished each other happy New Year.

During the conversation, both sides affirmed the achievements made in the past year in promoting the development of cross-Strait relations while upholding the 1992 Consensus, said Ma Xiaoguang with the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office at a press conference.

Both sides have been implementing the important consensus reached in a historic meeting between Xi Jinping and Ma Ying-jeou last month. Many achievements have been made in this regard, according to the conversation between the office’s director, Zhang Zhijun, and Taiwan’s mainland affairs chief, Andrew Hsia.

The mainland and Taiwan agreed to set up a hotline between the chiefs of cross-Strait affairs from both sides during the Xi-Ma meeting in Singapore on Nov. 7.

“We hope the two authorities will make efforts to maintain and promote peaceful development of cross-Strait relations on the common political basis of the 1992 Consensus in the future, and bring more benefits for people on both sides,” Ma said.

Ma said the hotline will facilitate communication on important cross-Strait issues to enhance mutual understanding and trust and maintain a common basis and correct direction for the development of ties.