TIANJIN -- Negotiators from the Chinese mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) and Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) on Wednesday held a preparatory consultation for the upcoming seventh round of talks.
ARATS Executive Vice President Zheng Lizhong and SEF Vice Chairman Kao Koong-lian co-chaired the consultation to make last-minute preparations for the new round of talks scheduled for Thursday in northern port city of Tianjin.
The two sides have generally reached a consensus on the contents of an agreement on cross-Strait cooperation on nuclear powerplant safety, and have agreed to submit the agreement to ARATS and SEF leaders for discussion and signing.
They also exchanged views on the preparation work for the implementation of the agreement.
The two sides also discussed and reached consensuses on issues regarding the negotiation of an investment protection agreement as well as issues of strengthening cross-Strait industrial cooperation.
These consensuses will also be submitted to the top negotiators of both sides for their confirmation.
Talks held between ARATS and SEF over the past three years have shown that the mainland and Taiwan have established a mutual trust based on a common political cornerstone, and the signing of a series of agreements have brought about a wide range of benefits for compatriots living on both sides of the Strait, Zheng said during a speech given ahead of the consultation.
