BEIJING — Taiwan and China agreed Thursday to set up permanent offices in each other’s territory for the first time in nearly six decades of hostility, one of the biggest trust-building steps they have taken in their political rivalry.
No time frame was given for establishing the offices, which could handle consular functions such as issuing travel documents.
Yet coming on the first day of formal talks between the sides in a decade, the agreement lends strong momentum toward efforts to build confidence and spur cooperation. The two sides were divided amid civil war in 1949, and their relationship has veered between strained to outright hostile.
Foundation deputy secretary-general Pong Jian-kuo said a consensus on exchanging offices was reached during morning talks, saying they would “facilitate people’s exchanges and traveling across the Strait.”
The unexpected announcement injected a touch of drama into an otherwise modest agenda that sought mainly to finalize agreements on charter flights and tourism.
“It’s a very positive and healthy development in relations across the Taiwan Strait,” said political scientist George Tsai of Taiwan’s Chinese Culture University.
Tsai cautioned, however, that the offices would be limited to dealing with administrative matters and would offer little direct help in dealing with core political differences such as China’s threatening missile arsenal and Taiwan’s desire for diplomatic recognition overseas.
Taiwan’s negotiating team is led by Chiang Pin-kung, chairman of the quasi-governmental Straits Exchange Foundation, and includes two vice Cabinet ministers — the highest-ranking Taiwanese officials ever to participate in bilateral talks.
Taiwan’s delegation also planned to discuss what additional help the island could provide for China’s earthquake relief efforts. The talks are scheduled to run through today.
