China, Taiwan to Work on Talks

China and Taiwan agreed to work toward repairing their shattered dialogue in a deal sealed Thursday over convivial cups of tea--the most significant step since Beijing canceled talks three years ago.

With their wives seated by them at a small round table, Taiwan’s envoy, Koo Chen-fu, invited his Chinese counterpart, Wang Daohan, to visit Taipei, and Wang agreed.

The informality of the meeting and the setting belied the importance of their achievement. Beijing and Taipei have been at odds since Chiang Kai-shek’s defeated Nationalists fled the mainland in 1949 to set up an alternative government. Beijing considers Taiwan a renegade province, and the island has balked at reunification.

Thursday’s agreement--essentially to talk about more formal talks--came on the second of two days of meetings between Wang and Koo, their first since 1993.

Under the four-point deal, members of the two government-backed bodies that Wang and Koo head will hold discussions on all matters. An aide to Wang said the talks will cover political matters, a euphemism for reunification.

Koo will travel to Beijing today.