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July 1, 2009: President Ma Ying-jeou attends the inauguration of President Ricardo Martinelli in Panama. July 3, 2009: China Southern Airlines is first People’s Republic of China (PRC) company to apply to establish a branch office in Taiwan. July 5, 2009: President Ma in Honolulu reiterates that removal of missiles from across the Taiwan Strait is a precondition for talks with the PRC on a peace agreement. July 11, 2009: Kuomintang (KMT) and Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Forum on economics and culture opens in Changsha; two Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) members attend. July 13, 2009: Mainland purchasing delegation attends a food show in Taipei. July 15, 2009: DPP votes to expel two members who attended KMT-CCP Forum. China-Taiwan Relations 81 October 2009 July 16, 2009: Ma Ying-jeou, as the president of the Republic of China (ROC), opens the World Games in Kaohsiung; mainland athletes do not attend the opening ceremony. July 20, 2009: Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall name plaque is restored. July 20, 2009: Blatant stereotyping in cartoon characters used in a Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) pamphlet promoting the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement with China provokes controversy in Taiwan. July 22, 2009: Minister of Commerce Chen Deming meets MOEA Minister Yiin Chii-ming at Singapore at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. July 23, 2009: Taipei announces two new direct flight routes to the mainland. July 24, 2009: MOEA Minister Yiin states that agreement has been reached to begin ECFA talks in October. July 26, 2009: Ma Ying-jeou is elected KMT chairman. July 26, 2009: Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu includes pro-independence remarks in her address at the closing ceremony of the World Games; mainland athletes do not attend. July 29, 2009: MOEA releases Chunghua Institute of Economic Research report on ECFA. July 30, 2009: Taiwan Institute of Economic Research releases more critical analysis of ECFA. Aug. 3, 2009: Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Institute of Taiwan Director Yu Keli article in China Review calls for an early negotiation of a peace agreement. Aug. 7, 2009: SEF Chairman Chiang says the fourth SEF-ARATS talks to be held in December. Aug. 8, 2009: Typhoon Morakot hits Taiwan causing extensive flooding and hundreds of deaths. Aug. 12, 2009: ARATS and PRC Red Cross provide generous financial aid for Morakot. Aug. 16, 2009: U.S. military aircraft delivers aid in Taiwan; TAO says this is humanitarian aid delivered under civilian auspices. Aug. 17, 2009: U.S. military helicopters and crews begin week-long emergency operations. Aug. 19, 2009: Third mainland procurement mission arrives in Taipei. Aug. 20, 2009: U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey visits Beijing and is berated on arms sales. Aug. 24, 2009: Officials from the UN Office for Humanitarian Affairs visit Taiwan. China-Taiwan Relations 82 October 2009 Aug. 26, 2009: Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu invites Dalai Lama. Aug. 27, 2009: TAO statement opposes Dalai Lama visit and criticizes DPP. Aug. 27, 2009: Referendum Review Committee rejects DPP ECFA referendum proposal. Aug. 30, 2009: Dalai Lama arrives in Taiwan. Aug. 31, 2009: First “scheduled” cross-Strait flights begin; ceremonies are cancelled due to Dalai Lama visit. Aug. 31, 2009: Taiwan Ministry of National Defense releases its report on the PLA. Sept. 1, 2009: Minister of the Financial Supervisory Commission Sean Chen says financial supervisory MOU will be signed by yearend. Sept. 2, 2009: Raytheon Corp. wins a contract to upgrade Taiwan’s Patriot missiles. Sept. 4, 2009: SEF Chairman Chiang meets Bank of China President Li Lihua’s delegation. Sept. 5, 2009: KMT Vice Chairman Wu Den-yih visits Hong Kong. Sept. 7, 2009: Wu Den-yih named premier replacing Liu Chao-shiuan. Sept. 7, 2009: People’s Bank of China Deputy Governor Su Ning leads a delegation to Taipei. Sept. 10, 2009: New Cabinet takes office in Taipei; President Ma instructs Premier Wu to get cross-Strait negotiations back on track after Morakot. Sept. 11, 2009: Taipei Court convicts Chen Shui-bian and sentences him to life in prison. Sept. 17, 2009: Organizers announced that the Kaohsiung Film Festival will screen Rebiya Kadeer’s film. Sept. 18, 2009: MAC Chair Lai says financial MOU nearly complete. Sept. 21, 2009: DPP announces plans to show Kadeer film in several cities on Oct. 1. Sept. 21, 2009: TAO Minister Wang Yi says ECFA talks will begin when both sides are ready. Sept. 25, 2009: Taiwan’s Ministry of Interior states Rebiya Kadeer will not be allowed to visit. Sept. 26, 2009: Kaohsiung reinstates plan to screen Kadeer film at its film festival.