I'm not opposed to fruit exports: Chen

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) said yesterday that he is not opposed to exports of the nation's agricultural produce to China, but he will insist on cross-strait government-to-government talks on the matter or talks by bodies commissioned by the two governments.

The president made the remarks while he was inspecting the Fengshan Ecological Park (豐山生態園區) in Chiayi County, and attending a seminar on Chiayi's tourism development and agricultural transformation.

Chiayi County Magistrate Chen Ming-wen (陳明文) spoke on behalf of farmers during the seminar, expressing the hope that the nation's agricultural produce can be exported to China to solve its overproduction problem.

President Chen said Taiwan has sold agricultural produce to China before, although the amount was not much. He also said that the nation's butterfly orchids sell for US$16 per kilogram in the US, but could not fetch even NT$2.50 (US$0.08) in China.

Taiwan's mangoes sell for US$4 per kilo in Japan, but get less than US$1 per kilo in China, he said.

The president also said that fruit exports are not simply a question of selling and buying, but involve sensitive cross-strait issues, and that Beijing's seemingly generous offer to eliminate tariffs on some fruits is part of its "united front" strategy to divide Taiwanese.