China sends its first ministerial-level official to Taipei for four days as Beijing seeks to forge broken alliances with Taiwan.

Zhang Zhijun, Minister of Beijing's Taiwan Affairs Office, arrived at Taipei before noon on Wednesday to consult with his Taiwanese counterpart Wang Yu-chi about cutting import tariffs and establishing consular-style offices that should benefit potential investors and tourists.

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To prevent the ratification of the two-way service trade liberalization pact, a student-propagated protest called 'the Sunflower Movement' transpired for 24 days where hundreds of protesters took the Taipei parliament by force earlier this year.

Since the Chinese civil war in 1949, China and Taiwan has been separately ruled. However, China sees the island as part of its territory and thus, should be reunited with the rest of the country whether they like it or not.

Seeing the country as an enemy, the movement expanded into thousands, many of whom demanded an end to Taiwan's engagement with China for good.

The course of Zhang's visit through Saturday focuses not only on Taipei but more on the poorer middle and south of the island which profited less from China and where most activists reside. He is also set to convene with students and Taiwan's anti-China chief opposition party.

Seeking to woo Taiwan with his sincerity, Zhang takes advantage of the remarkable improvement in China-Taiwan relations since Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou took office in 2008.

If successful, the minister will be able to show the world that Taiwan and the mainland are moving closer in spite of the unrest brought about by the members of the Sunflower Movement.

TagsTaiwan, Sunflower Movement