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July 2, 2008: Central Military Commission Vice Chairman Xu Caihou says there will be no change in People’s Liberation Army readiness toward Taiwan. July 2, 2008: Foreign Minister Francisco Ou says Taipei will pursue “participation” in World Health Organization as a priority issue. July 3, 2008: Legislative Yuan unfreezes funds for production of Hsiungfeng IIE land attack cruise missile (LACM). July 4, 2008: Weekend charter flights begin, bringing first tourists from China to Taiwan. July 7, 2008: Association for Relations across Taiwan Straits (ARATS) Deputy Wang Zaixi arrives in Taipei for 10-day visit. July 9, 2008: Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) spokesman explains why Chinese media are free to use term Zhongguo Taibei to refer to Taiwan participants in the Olympics. July 9, 2008: Ministry of Foreign Affairs explains importance Taipei places on using Zhonghua Taipei translation of Chinese Taipei during Olympics. July 9, 2008: TAO Chairman Wang Yi urges seizing opportunity for peaceful development of cross-Strait relations. July 10, 2008: Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) Chairman Chiang Pin-kun says economic agreement with China would help Taiwan negotiate free trade agreements. July 12, 2008: President Ma expresses hope U.S. arms sales will proceed as originally planned. July 13, 2008: Foreign Minister Ou says Paraguay will be test case on diplomatic truce. China-Taiwan Relations 78 October 2008 July 15, 2008: SEF Chairman Chiang hosts dinner for ARATS Deputy Chairman Wang Xaizi. July 15, 2008: KMT reiterates importance of Beijing using Zhonghua Taibei terminology. July 16, 2008: U.S. Pacific Command Commander Adm. Keating confirms arms sales freeze. July 17, 2008: Official media in Beijing continue using term Zhongguo Taibei. July 17, 2008: Special Investigation Unit (SIU) lists former President Chen and Madame Wu as defendants in money laundering case. July18, 2008: KMT states Chairman Wu will not attend Olympics unless Beijing adheres to Zhonghua Taibei terminology. July 18, 2008: SEF Chairman Chiang holds first meeting with Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang. July 18, 2008: Taipei approves raising investment ceiling to 60 percent and exempting all firms with headquarters in Taiwan. July 20, 2008: President Ma tells CNN that Taipei can’t negotiate peace agreement under missile threat. July 21, 2008: SEF Chairman Chiang speaks of an eventual Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) with the mainland. July 23, 2008: TAO spokesman’s statement explains narrow limits of Beijing’s commitment to use Zhonghua Taibei in Olympics context. July 23, 2008: Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) urges China to display good will on terminology issue. July 24, 2008: Sports Minister Tai Shia-ling says teams will withdraw if Beijing Olympics organizers downgrade Taiwan using Zhongguo Taibei. July 25, 2008:Xinhua, CCTV other official media begin using Zhonghua Taibei. July 26, 2008: KMT Chairman Wu announces that he will attend Olympics. July 27, 2008: Legislative Yuan (LY) Speaker Wang Jin-pyng arrives in Washington for consultations and reiterates Taipei’s need for F-16 aircraft. July 28, 2008: Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi meets Secretary Rice in Washington. July 29, 2008: President Ma visits MAC and urges more effort to bring PRC students to Taiwan. China-Taiwan Relations 79 October 2008 July 30, 2008: President Bush meets international media and expresses pleasure at development of cross-Strait relations. July 31, 2008: Taiwan Caucus sends letter to Bush urging end to the arms freeze. Aug. 1, 2008: President Ma welcomes Beijing’s use of Zhonghua Taibei. Aug. 1, 2008: Taiwan’s postal service votes to restore China Post name. Aug. 1, 2008: Taiwan and PRC experts are simultaneously elected to World Trade Organization’s Permanent Experts Group Aug. 4, 2008: President Ma visits Foreign Ministry and says priority is on participation in WHO. Aug. 8, 2008: KMT Chairman Wu and others attend President Hu Jintao’s luncheon for world leaders, then attend Olympics Opening Ceremony. Aug. 9, 2008: DPP Chairperson Tsai says diplomatic truce equals unilateral surrender. Aug. 12, 2008: President Ma transits Los Angeles. Aug. 13, 2008: President Ma meets President Martin Torrijos in Panama. Aug 14, 2008: President Ma meets Paraguay President-elect Fernando Lugo. Aug. 14, 2008: Chinese Petroleum Company of Taiwan says cooperation with China National Offshore Oil Company on oil exploration in Taiwan Strait to resume. Aug. 15, 2008: Taiwan MOFA announces bid for participation in UN specialized agencies. Aug. 16, 2008: President Ma attends inauguration of President Leonel Fernandez in the Dominican Republic. Aug. 17, 2008: President Ma transits San Francisco. Aug. 18, 2008: PRC Ambassador to the UN Wang Guangya sends letter saying Taiwan not qualified to participate in UN specialized agencies. Aug. 18, 2008: LY Vice Speaker Tseng Yung-chuan leads delegation to Thailand seeking closer ties with ASEAN. Aug 22, 2008: President Ma receives U.S. visitors and urges notification of arms packages. Aug. 24, 2008: Minister of National Defense Chen says F-16s needed to replace aging F-5s. Aug. 26, 2008: SEF Chairman Chiang visits Japan. China-Taiwan Relations 80 October 2008 Aug. 26, 2008: President Ma, in an interview with Mexican daily says cross-strait relations are “special non-state-to-state relations.” Aug. 28, 2008: MAC Chairman Lai visits Washington. Aug. 28, 2008: Presidential Office says PRC reaction should not be seen as rejection of UN specialized agencies proposal. Aug. 28, 2008: PRC Vice Premier Wang Qishan meets Taiwan business delegation and says Beijing willing to consider common market proposal. Aug. 29, 2008: Taipei sets 2009 defense budget at NT$315.2 billion ($10.17 billion). Sept. 1, 2008: Presidential Office sets policy of no first strike, no attack on non-military targets. Sept. 1, 2008: MND says Hsiungfeng IIE’s range will not be extended to 1,000 km. Sept. 3, 2008: In China Review Monthly, PRC scholar Xu Shiquan calls for pragmatic case-by-case approach to UN specialized agencies. Sept. 4, 2008: Taipei liberalizes visas for Chinese visitors to Kinmen & Matzu. Sept.5, 2008: Press reports that Taiwan’s National Security Council Secretary General Su Chi has been in the U.S. for talks. Sept. 6, 2008: Lee Teng-hui criticizes Ma for paving way to unification. Sept. 7, 2008: TAO Chairman Wang Yi in Xiamen announces easing of controls on tourists and says Chen Yunlin will visit Taiwan in late October. Sept. 7, 2008: Taipei says PRC students to be allowed one-year stays for studies. Sept. 10, 2008: DPP releases statement condemning Ma’s definition of cross-Strait relations. Sept. 10, 2008: President Ma makes surprise visit to Pratas Reef. Sept. 10, 2008: TAO spokesman uses Zhongguo Taipei in referring to Taiwan in APEC. Sept. 11, 2008: MOFA says Zhonghua Taibei is name in APEC. Sept. 14, 2008: Taipei issues ban on import of Sanlu dairy products. Sept. 14, 2008: MAC proposes establishing food safety communications channel. Sept. 16, 2008: Speaker Wang in Japan says relationship is a “special partnership.” China-Taiwan Relations 81 October 2008 China-Taiwan Relations 82 October 2008 Sept 17, 2008: UN General Committee declines to put Taiwan proposal on UNGA agenda. Sept. 17, 2008: Vice President Siew is appointed to lead economic advisory group. Sept 21, 2008: Taipei bans all milk, diary, and protein products from China. Sept. 22, 2008: “Workshop on Large Scale Disaster Recovery in APEC” opens in Taipei. Sept. 22, 2008: President Ma announces plans to recognize PRC academic degrees and to accept PRC students from 2009. Sept. 23, 2008: MOFA protests WHO reference to “Taiwan, China” in a report. Sept. 23, 2008: Premier Liu proposes sending health safety delegation to PRC. Sept. 23, 2008: ARATS and SEF officials meet in Xiamen to plan Chen visit. Sept. 25, 2008: Five fraud suspects repatriated under Kinmen Agreement. Sept. 26, 2008: APEC Disaster Recovery Workshop moves to Sichuan. Sept. 27, 2008: Taiwan Health Safety Delegation arrives in Beijing. Sept. 28, 2008: Defense Minister Chen attends U.S.-Taiwan Defense Industry Conference. Sept. 29, 2008: Speaker Wang again calls for LY review of cross-Strait agreements. Sept. 30, 2008: Premier Liu says China should apologize for tainted dairy exports. Oct. 3, 2008: The Bush administration notifies Congress of a $6.5 billion arms package for Taiwan.