The Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Kuomintang (KMT) party agreed here
on Wednesday that a forum on economic and trade affairs between the Chinese
mainland and Taiwan will be held in Beijing from April 14 to 15.
The decision was made at talks held here Wednesday between Chen Yunlin,
director of the Taiwan Work Office of the CPC Central Committee, and a
delegation of the think tank of Kuomintang.
The forum will be jointly sponsored by a research center of the Taiwan Work
Office of the CPC Central Committee and a research fund of Kuomintang. It will
focus on cross-Strait economic and trade exchanges and opening direct transport
link.
About 300 people, including high-level officials of the CPC and KMT and
businessmen and scholars from the two sides of the Strait,will attend the forum,
according to the talks.
The forum was originally scheduled to be held last December in Taipei. It was
forced to change venue and time because of obstruction of the Taiwan
authorities.
Chen said comprehensively promoting cross-Strait economic exchanges and
cooperation and realizing direct, two-way and comprehensive three direct links
of mail, trade and transport as early as possible are matters that benefit
people on both sides of the Strait, especially Taiwan compatriots.
"We should put people's interests first and work to bring benefits to them,"
he said.
He said growing sale of Taiwan farm produce on the mainland, growing
investment by Taiwan businessmen in the mainland and travel agencies all require
direct transport links across the Strait.
"People will not be satisfied if their wishes are not met. They will not
consent to prolonged obstruction of cross-Strait links," said Chen.
Cross-Strait exchanges have kept growing despite opposition of the Taiwan
authorities. A total of 68,095 projects funded by Taiwan businessmen had been
approved by the mainland by the end of 2005, with a contractual investment of
89.7 billion U.S. dollars from Taiwan.
The mainland is Taiwan's No. 1 export market and largest trade surplus
source. Indirect cross-Straits trade volume had hit 495.81 billion dollars by
the end of 2005, including 414.08 billion dollars of Taiwan export to the
mainland.
Taiwan residents made 4 million visits to the mainland, while mainland
residents made 160,000 visits to Taiwan in 2005.