Taiwan president 'wants China deal'

A US cable released by WikiLeaks cites Taiwan’s vice president as telling the top American diplomat on the island that President Ma Ying-jeou would open political talks with China if re-elected to a second term.

Vincent Siew’s June 2009 statement to de facto American ambassador Stephen Young is the clearest indication yet by a senior Ma official that the president would expand on existing economic talks if re-elected in January.

The cable quotes Mr Siew as saying political talks would touch on “a peace treaty, a formal end to hostilities and development of bilateral military confidence mechanisms” with China.

Taiwan and China split amid civil war in 1949. China still claims Taiwan as its own and seeks its integration into the mainland.