CIAO DATE: 12/2010
A publication of:
Center for Strategic and International Studies
Dec. 31, 2009: In an interview, President Ma Ying-jeou says that a peace agreement with China is not possible with 1,300 missiles aimed at Taiwan. Jan. 1, 2010: President Hu Jintao briefly mentions promoting peaceful development of cross-Strait relations. Jan. 4, 2010: US media reports that Raytheon has won a contract to upgrade Taiwan’s Patriot missiles. Jan. 5, 2010: Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman calls for an end to US arms sales to Taiwan. Jan. 6, 2010: President Ma says the Taiwan government will refer to the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) publicly in Chinese as liangan chingji shiehyi. Jan. 6, 2010: The US Department of Defense announces the award of a $968 million contract to Lockheed Martin for the sale of 253 PAC-3 missiles and related hardware to Taiwan. Jan. 8, 2010: Chinese Ministry of Defense opposes US arms sales to Taiwan and says it reserves right to take action. Jan. 8, 2010: Premier Wu Den-yih says Taiwan’s aim is to sign the ECFA in May. Jan. 9 2010: Kuomintang (KMT) loses three Legislative Yuan (LY) by-elections. Jan. 9, 2010: Chinese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs He Yafei criticizes US arms sales to Taiwan. Jan. 11, 2010: President Ma tells KMT legislators that Taiwan will be able to sign free trade agreements (FTAs) after the ECFA is completed. Jan. 11, 2010: Vice President Vincent Siew says the ECFA is the key to concluding FTAs. Jan. 11, 2010: China conducts an anti-ballistic missile test. Jan. 11, 2010: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says US will continue to sell arms to Taiwan. Jan. 12, 2010: Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) says US arms sales give Taiwan confidence to negotiate with Beijing. Jan. 15, 2010: US approves the first Taiwan military C-130 aircraft to transit through the US en route to Haiti with relief goods. China-Taiwan Relations 70 April 2010 Jan. 16, 2010: Cross-Strait Financial Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) take effect. Jan. 18, 2010: Mainland qualified direct institutional investors (QDIIs) become eligible to invest in the Taiwan Stock Exchange. Jan. 19, 2010: Chinese Vice Minister of Health Huang Jiefu visits Taipei for talks. Jan 20, 2010: MAC’s Lai Shin-yuan and Minister of Economic Affairs (MOEA) Shih brief LY Speaker Wang Jin-pyng on the ECFA. Jan. 20, 2010: Taiwan and Mainland think tanks release a joint report that provides a positive assessment of the ECFA. Jan. 22, 2010: TAO Minister Wang Yi says FTAs involve international affairs issues. Jan. 22, 2010: MAC Chair Lai states that he believes the ECFA will lead to FTAs. Jan. 25, 2010: President Ma transits San Francisco en route to Honduras. Jan. 25, 2010: Canadian think tank reports the deployment of the DH-10 Land Attack Cruise Missile (LACM) in Guangxi Province. Jan. 26, 2010: The first round of ECFA negotiations are held in Beijing. Jan. 28, 2010: President Ma attends Honduran President Porfirio Lobo’s inauguration. Jan. 29, 2010: President Ma delivers relief supplies for Haiti in Dominican Republic. Jan. 29, 2010: The Pentagon notifies Congress of a $6.4 billion arms package for Taiwan. Jan. 30, 2010: Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announces temporary suspension of military exchanges with the US. Vice Minister He Yafei says US arms companies will be sanctioned. Jan. 30, 2010: Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) notes that the US did not approve submarines or F-16s as part of the arms package and characterizes it as minimal action. Feb. 1, 2010: US Department of Defense releases its Quadrennial Defense Review. Feb. 2, 2010: China Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman says US companies who ignore objections will face sanctions. Feb. 7, 2010: Premier Wu calls for the removal of Chinese missiles from Fujian in an interview. Feb. 9, 2010: President Ma holds a press conference to report on ECFA progress. China-Taiwan Relations 71 April 2010 Feb. 10, 2010: Executive Yuan Appeals Committee turns down a DPP appeal for a referendum on the ECFA. Feb. 11, 2010: Taiwan’s National Security Council Secretary General Su Chi resigns and later replaced by Victor Hu Wei-jen. Feb. 17, 2010: President Ma says US arms sales to Taiwan contribute to cross-Strait progress. Feb. 23, 2010: Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) announces plans for a referendum on the ECFA. Feb. 27, 2010: DPP wins three LY by-elections; KMT wins one. March 1, 2010: US National Security Council Director Jeffrey Bader and Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg visit Beijing. March 4, 2010: ARATS Chairman Chen Yunlin says the ECFA will likely be signed in May or June. March 4, 2010: National People’s Congress spokesman announces 7.5 percent increase in China’s 2010 defense budget. March 6, 2010: President Ma conducts a grass-roots forum on the ECFA. March 8, 2010: Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense report says that the F-16 A/B aircraft are the aircraft in Taiwan’s inventory that are better than China’s aircraft. March 9, 2010: Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs warns US about future arms sales to Taiwan. March 11, 2010: Premier Wu approves regulations for cross-Strait banking, finance, and investment. March 14, 2010: TSU launches a new ECFA referendum signature drive. March 15, 2010: Taipei increases daily quota of Chinese tourists to 6,000. March 16, 2010: Vice President Siew says the ECFA will pave way for FTAs. March 16, 2010: Taiwan’s Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) issues regulations on cross-Strait banking, brokerage, and insurance. March 17, 2010: Qinghai Vice Governor Wang Lingjun leads a delegation to Taiwan. March 17, 2010: Taipei reports the deployment of S300PMU2 air defense missiles in Fujian. March 21, 2010: Agricultural products, standards, and fishing crew agreements take effect. China-Taiwan Relations 72 April 2010 March 21-27, 2010: President Ma visits six South Pacific countries. March 22, 2010: Ministry of Commerce Director Tang Wei visits Taipei for talks. March 22, 2010: World Health Organization Secretary General Chan invites Taiwan to participate at the World Health Assembly as an observer. March 25, 2010: Vice Minister of Commerce Jiang Zengwei begins five-day visit to Taiwan. March 25, 2010: Commander of US Pacific Command Adm. Robert Willard says Taiwan needs to upgrade its air force. March 25, 2010: Taiwan Affairs Office Minister Wang Yi in Yazhou Zhoukan confirms there is no timetable for political talks. March 26, 2010: American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director William Stanton expresses support for cross-Strait confidence-building measures. March 26, 2010: AIT Chairman Raymond Burghardt greets President Ma during Guam transit. March 29, 2010: Deputy Minister of National Defense Andrew Yang confirms Taiwan’s missile development plans. March 31, 2010: Second Round of ECFA negotiations begin in Taoyuan; focus is on “early harvest” lists. China-