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SHANGHAI - CHINA, expanding its pledge to help neighbouring economies ride out the global financial crisis, said on Saturday it was willing to meet requests for assistance from political rival Taiwan.
Ties between China and Taiwan, separated since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949, have been warming since Taiwanese president Ma Ying-jeou took office in May. On Monday the two sides opened direct daily passenger flights, new shipping routes and postal links for the first time in six decades.
'We deeply sympathise with the economic difficulties faced by Taiwan and sincerely hope to cooperate on steps to cope with the international financial crisis,' said Mr Jia Qinglin, the fourth most senior leader of China's ruling Communist Party.
'I solemnly declare that if the global economic situation continues to deteriorate and Taiwan asks for measures to ease its economic difficulties, the mainland is willing to do its utmost to provide aid.' Mr Jia was opening a two-day meeting of over 400 delegates from the two sides, including businessmen, academics and officials of the Communist Party and Taiwan's ruling Nationalist Party.
Taiwan's export-driven economy contracted in the third quarter while November exports were down 23.3 per cent from a year earlier.
Mr Jia said China was willing to make it easier for Taiwanese companies to trade and invest on the mainland, help them obtain financing, and cooperate to develop technologies in areas such as electronics, environmental protection and new forms of energy.
China hopes Taiwan will remove restrictions on imports of Chinese goods and let Chinese companies take part in big infrastructure projects on the island, Jia said. -- REUTERS
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