MAC Minister Chen Ming-tung

Taipei, March 19 (CNA) The new head of Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), the top agency in charge of China policy, said Monday that he hopes the MAC and the new appointees in its Beijing counterpart will be able to work together for the good of the region.

Speaking at his swearing-in ceremony, new MAC Minister Chen Ming-tung (陳明通) said he has seen many "dramatic changes" in China over the years and has many friends there with whom he often holds calm and sensible discussions.

"I hope our experience will translate into wisdom in pursuit of cross-strait peace, coexistence and mutual prosperity," Chen said.

He also expressed the hope for cooperative relations with the new lineup in China's Central Leading Group for Taiwan Affairs following Chinese President Xi Jinping's (習近平) formal reelection Saturday to a second term by his country's parliament.

"I hope that the team on the other side can cooperate with us to contribute to the peaceful development of relations across the (Taiwan) strait, safeguard cross-strait security, and develop ideas for co-existence and mutual prosperity," Chen said in response to reporters' questions about the recent developments in China.

Chen, however, declined to express any opinions about the new team led by Xi, which includes chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Wang Yang (汪洋), State Councilor Yang Jiechi (楊潔篪), Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (王毅), and Liu Jieyi (劉結一), who is to head the Taiwan Affairs Office.

Formally a professor at National Taiwan University's Graduate Institute of National Development, Chen served as deputy chief of the MAC from 2000-2004 under Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), who was head of the agency at the time. Chen also served as MAC minister from 2007-2008.

(By Shih Hsiu-chuan)
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