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Oct. 1, 2009: People’s Republic of China (PRC) National Day parade is held in Beijing. Oct. 2, 2009: Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) criticizes Beijing’s “intimidating” display at the National Day parade. Oct. 4, 2009: Panamanian ship sinks near Penghu Islands. Taiwan and China cooperate in the search and rescue response. Oct. 5, 2009: US Supreme Court dismisses Roger Lin’s lawsuit regarding the sovereignty of the Republic of China over Taiwan. Oct. 5, 2009: Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Chairperson Lai Shin-yuan says the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) will be a catalyst for free trade agreements. Oct. 8, 2009: Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) acknowledges three rounds of discreet, informal ECFA talks with counterparts from the mainland. Oct. 9, 2009: Taiwan media report plans for reciprocal opening of tourism offices by yearend. Oct. 10, 2009: In national day address, President Ma Ying-jeou speaks of Chinese culture with Taiwanese characteristics. Oct. 12, 2009: Taipei says Falungong leader Li Hongzhi is not welcome in Taiwan at this time. China-Taiwan Relations 80 January 2010 Oct. 13, 2009: President Ma observes missile tests at Chiu-peng test range. Oct. 14, 2009: Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF)-Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) preparatory meeting are held in Hangzhou. Oct. 14, 2009: Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) says certain Kaohsiung officials are to blame for the decline in tourists from the mainland to Taiwan. Oct. 16, 2009: Pro-independence groups in Taiwan launch an anti-ECFA campaign. Oct. 17, 2009: Kuomintang (KMT) holds its Congress; Ma Ying-jeou assumes chairmanship. Oct. 19, 2009: MOEA sets up an NT$100 million fund for ECFA-affected industries. Oct. 19, 2009: PRC Ministry of Commerce (MOC) releases summary of a report on ECFA. Oct. 20, 2009: Taiwan Ministry of National Defense (MND) releases its 2008 National Security Report. Oct. 20, 2009: DPP urges President Ma to require destruction of Chinese missiles in exchange for a peace treaty. Oct. 23, 2009: Taiwan joins the International Association of Prosecutors as “Chinese Taipei.” Oct. 25, 2009: TAO Minister Wang Yi says Beijing is ready for trade talks with Taiwan under the SEF-ARATS framework. Oct. 26, 2009: Central Military Commission (CMC) Vice Chairman Gen. Xu Caihou visits Washington. Oct. 27, 2009: MND Vice Minister Andrew Yang visits Washington for Defense Review Talks. Oct. 28, 2009: SEF Chairperson Chiang Pin-kung leads media delegation to Beijing, meets ARATS Chairperson Chen Yunlin, and announces four agreements to be completed at the fourth SEF-ARATS meeting. Oct. 30, 2009: Taiwan Grassroots Alliance for Peace launches a effort to draft a consensus NGO proposal for a peace agreement. Nov. 4, 2009: Taiwan’s Bureau of Foreign Trade (BOFT) Director Huang Chih-peng visits Beijing for informal ECFA talks. Nov. 6, 2009: US National Security Council Asia Director Jeff Bader reaffirms the Taiwan Relations Act and US arms sales policy. China-Taiwan Relations 81 January 2010 Nov. 9, 2009: Jiangsu Party Secretary Liang Baohua leads a large purchasing delegation to Taipei; delegation later signs $4 billion in contracts. Nov. 12, 2009: MND explains plans to establish a think tank to study cross-Strait issues. Nov. 13, 2009: Taipei’s Pacific Cultural Foundation hosts a conference in Taipei with a delegation of retired diplomats and generals from the PRC led by Zheng Bijian. Nov. 14, 2009: Lien Chen attends the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders meeting in Singapore representing President Ma. Nov. 15, 2009: Chinese Communist Party (CCP) General Secretary Hu Jintao meets Lien Chan in Singapore. Nov. 15, 2009: PRC Minister of Commerce Chen Deming meets MOEA Minister Shih Yen-hsing in Singapore. Nov. 16, 2009: Taipei and Beijing exchange letters to complete the Memorandums of Understandings (MOUs) on regulatory cooperation in the financial sector. Nov. 16, 2009: PRC tour group visits Kaohsiung, ending a de facto boycott. Nov. 17, 2009: President Obama meets President Hu in Beijing. They hold a joint press conference and Obama mentions the TRA. Nov. 17, 2009: Taiwan Education Minister Wu announces plans for accepting mainland students at Taiwan universities and recognition of degrees from 41 PRC universities. Nov. 17, 2009: DPP issues a statement opposing the opening of Taiwan universities to PRC students. Nov. 18, 2009: President Ma reiterates that Taipei will not rush into political talks with the PRC. Nov. 21, 2009: Gen. Luo Yuan at a Beijing seminar criticizes Ma’s three noes as an attempt to peacefully split China. Nov. 22, 2009: American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Chairman Ray Burghardt visits Taipei to brief on President Obama’s trip to China. Nov. 25, 2009: TAO spokesman says financial MOUs were done within framework of SEF-ARATS Financial Cooperation Agreement. Nov. 30, 009: People’s Bank of China Deputy Governor Hu Xiaolian leads delegation to Taipei. Dec. 2, 2009: Taiwan Stock Exchange approves China Asset Management Company as the first mainland Qualified Domestic Institutional Investor in Taiwan. China-Taiwan Relations 82 January 2010 Dec. 5, 2009: Local elections are held in Taiwan. Dec. 7, 2009: President Ma reiterates no ECFA negotiation will take place at the fourth round of SEF-ARATS talks. Dec. 9, 2009: ARATS and SEF officials meet in Fuzhou to finalize preparations for fourth round meeting. Dec. 9, 2009: Taiwan magazine reports National Security Council Deputy Ho Szu-yin recently visited Washington for arms talks. Dec. 11, 2009: US official leaks comments on pending arms sales to Taiwan. Dec. 15, 2009: President Ma reiterates there will be no talks on unification with the mainland during his tenure in office. Dec. 17, 2009: President Ma states that agreements with the PRC will not weaken sovereignty. Dec. 18, 2009: In Copenhagen, PRC delegate objects to calls for Taiwan to have observer status at the climate change conference. Dec. 20, 2009: DPP leads a peaceful demonstration against ARATS Chair Chen Yunlin’s visit. Dec. 21-25, 2009: Chairman Chen Yunlin visits Taiwan for fourth round of SEF-ARATS talks. Dec. 21, 2009: SEF and ARATS announce the postponement of a reciprocal taxation agreement. Dec. 22, 2009: SEF and ARATS sign three agreements at fourth round meeting. Dec. 26, 2009: President Ma reassures farmers no additional mainland agricultural imports will be authorized under an ECFA. Dec. 30, 2009: Jia Qinglin chairs a Beijing forum on anniversary of Hu’s six points.