Taipei - Taiwan stocks surged more than 6 per cent by mid-session Thursday after the central bank cut interest rates and on positive signs in Taiwan-China ties.

The benchmark TAIEX rose 266.31 points, or 6.04 per cent, to 4,672.83 in mid-morning trading after the central bank cut interest rates by
0.25 per cent, and due to positive signs in Taiwan-China ties.

Taipei - Taiwan announced Wednesday it will send former vice president Lien Chan to the November 22 leaders' summit of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation 
(APEC) forum.

The announcement was seen as a breakthrough in the island's relations with China, which for years has opposed allowing any prominent Taiwan leader to attend the event, observers said.

"President Ma Ying-jeou has appointed Mr Lien Chan as his representative to the leaders' summit," the Presidential Office said in a statement.

Lien, honorary chairman of the ruling Nationalist Party or Kuomintang (KMT), was vice president between 1996-2000, and the party's chairman between 2000 and 2005.

Taipei - Taiwan's Defence Minister Chen Chao-ming Wednesday said the military opposes opening the restricted air zone to allow cross-strait flights, during the second round of Taiwan-China talks in Taipei to begin next Monday.

"The air space in Taiwan is very small, and it is absolutely impossible for us to allow cross-strait planes to fly through our R8 zone," General Chen said in a parliament session in Taipei.

The R8 zone is one of the military's five strategic flight zones off-limits to civilian aircraft. It is located near the median of the Taiwan Strait, which provides the shortest distance in flights between Taiwan and China.

Taipei - Taiwan sto

Taipei - Taiwan hopes to upgrade its representation at the upcoming APEC summit by sending a former minister and parliament speaker Frederick F Chien to the meeting, press reports said Wednesday.

The United Daily Mews and Economic Daily News, quoting an unnamed official source, said Taiwan plans to send Chien to the 16th Asia-Pacific Economic Forum (APEC) summit to be held in Lima, Peru November 22-23.

Taipei - Taiwan stocks opened higher Wednesday after Tuesday's big Wall Street rally.

After the Taipei stock market opened at 9 am, the benchmark TAIEX quickly surged as much as 7 per cent higher. One hour into trading, TAIEX eased to 4,536.17, still up 136.2 points, or 3.1 per cent, from Tuesday's closing figure.

Analysts attributed the TAIEX surge to Tuesday's rally on Wall Street.