Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits

The Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) was established in Beijing as a public organization on Dec 16, 1991.

According to the ARATS Charter, it aims to boost exchanges across the Taiwan Straits, advance the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations, and realize peaceful reunification of the motherland.

In order to achieve those objectives, the ARATS is committed to strengthening contact and cooperation with social groups and people from all walks of life that share the purposes of the association; to assisting relevant parties in promoting various exchanges and communication across the Straits; to helping relevant parties deal with problems arising from the contact between compatriots on both sides of the Straits to safeguard their legitimate rights and interests; and to holding consultations and signing agreements on issues related to cross-Straits exchanges with authorities, authorized organizations and people in Taiwan as entrusted by mainland authorities.

The association's supreme authority is the Council, whose members are decided for a term of five years through recommendations from and consultations among people from all walks of life and relevant authoritative parties. The ARATS has one president, one executive vice president, a number of vice presidents and one secretary-general, who together make up the Executive Council attending to its day-to-day affairs.

The Council may employ honorary presidents and advisers.

The Council holds a plenary meeting annually. An interim meeting arises if the president or the executive vice president thinks it is necessary or when it is proposed by more than one third of council members.

The ARATS has a secretariat and other departments responsible for research, coordination, liaison and economic affairs, and has had four councils since its establishment.

The current president of the association is Zhang Zhijun and the executive vice president is Long Mingbiao. Sun Yafu and Li Yafei are vice presidents and Ma Guoliang serves as secretary-general.

Notice: This English version is only for reference. To learn more, please refer to the authoritative Chinese version.