Taiwan Affairs Office

The Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council (Simplified Chinese: 国务院台湾事务办公室; Traditional chinese: 國務院台灣事務辦公室 or 國務院臺灣事務辦公室; Hanyu pinyin: Guówùyuàn Táiwān Shìwù Bàngōngshì , sometimes abbreviated to 国台办 (simplified chinese), 國台辦 or 國臺辦 traditional chinese, guó tái bàn hanyu pinyin) is an administrative agency under the State Council of the People's Republic of China. It is responsible for setting and implementing guidelines and policies related to Taiwan, as stipulated by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council itself.

According to the arrangement and authorization of the State Council, the office takes charge of relevant preparations for negotiations and agreements with what the PRC calls the "Taiwan authorities" (i.e., the government of the Republic of China and its authorized government organizations). The agency administers and coordinates direct links in mail, transport and trade across the Taiwan Strait, takes charge of the media and publicity work related to Taiwan, releases news and information concerning Taiwan affairs, and handles major incidents related to Taiwan.

The Taiwan Affairs Council is also responsible for the coordination with overall planning the economic relations and trade related to Taiwan and exchanges and cooperation in such areas as finance, culture, academic research, sports, science and technology, health, and others with the departments concerned. It also manages personnel exchange, observations and symposia between the two sides and relevant work on international conferences involving Taiwan.

Members of the Taiwan Affairs Office are simultaneously members of the Communist Party of China Central Committee Taiwan Task Office. The latter title is used when dealing with officials in Taiwan on a party-to-party basis.

ee also

*Political status of Taiwan, background
*Mainland Affairs Council, counterparty body in Taiwan
*Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits, semi-official contact body
*Straits Exchange Foundation, counterparty semi-official contact body in Taiwan
*Taiwan Province, People's Republic of China

External links

* [http://www.gwytb.gov.cn/ Official website]