China has voiced a willingness to enter into reconciliation with the East Asian island of Taiwan after it declared on Thursday 22 May that it wants the latter to be their own boss. This is a clean signal that China is at present in no hurry to bring Taiwan back into its fold. Two days after Taiwan made Ma Ying-jeou its new president, Chinese Minister of Taiwan Affairs Chen Yunlin remarked that both the parties were busy making ‘positive’ endeavor to revive deliberations.

 

No timetable for the talks between China and Taiwan were, however, provided. In a statement issued by the state run Xinhua news agency, the Chinese Minister of Taiwan Affairs explicitly stated that China understands, trusts and cares about Taiwan compatriots and also respects their desire to be masters of their own destiny. This declaration from China followed the new Taiwanese President’s inaugural speech in which the latter had offered to revive talks, but at the same time vowed to maintain Taipei’s autonomy and distinct international identity.