Across China: Taiwan

News bureaus urged

A visiting mainland official urged Taiwan yesterday to allow mainland news outlets to set up permanent bureaus on the island, saying it is essential for improving understanding and furthering already warming ties.

Closer news exchanges would "allow us to catch up with the big exchange, big cooperation" already underway in trade, tourism and other areas, said Yang Yi, a spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office, who led a delegation of mainland media representatives.