Word: mainlands
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...sound very confident all this is going to happen. What we're trying to do, in a word, is normalization of our economic relations with the mainland. Mainland China has become our No. 1 trading partner. This relationship already exists, and it has to be given recognition...
...Taiwan change China? Many [mainland people] watch Taiwan TV. On March 22, my election day, the vote-counting process after the booths closed lasted for two to three hours. It was televised live worldwide. We estimate that at least 300 million overseas Chinese and mainland Chinese watched that. Three years ago, when we had local elections, the same thing happened. I was so impressed and so astonished. They didn't even know the candidates. Why would they want to watch that? I visited the website of the People's Daily. People sometimes leave comments on current events. One said...
...What are your next steps with Beijing? We have just done a very small step by allowing charter flights. That has to be improved. If you fly from Shanghai to Taipei you still have to fly over the airspace of Hong Kong. The air controllers of Taiwan and the mainland are still unable to talk to each other. We have to change that, and we may be able to change that in the next couple of months so that we can save fuel and time. Then we open up direct navigation between the seaports in China and Taiwan. Next year...
...first obstacle is the name we are going to use. As with the WTO, we will not use Taiwan or Republic of China. We will be flexible on names. Are you surprised by how quickly the leadership in Beijing has responded to your initiatives? The U.S. and the mainland were very worried about what was happening in Taiwan because of [the previous administration's] diplomatic adventurism and a rather antagonistic attitude toward the mainland. Now, the U.S. and Japan and [the rest of Asia] can rest assured that confrontation is unlikely in the Taiwan Strait. Mainland China poses a threat...
...tell us they worry that closer ties with China will dilute the character of Taiwan, which is freer, more spirited, more independent. I wouldn't worry about that at all. It is a golden opportunity for Taiwan - not just to make money but to also establish [greater] friendship with mainland people. The education ministry has decided to recognize mainland diplomas and many mainland students will come to Taiwan to study. I want young people from the two sides to get to know each other at a relatively early stage of their lives. This is the best way for mutual understanding...