A Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) delegation to China has achieved the three main goals of the trip and would expect more such exchanges, KMT Vice Chairman Andrew Hsia (夏立言) said yesterday in Shanghai.
The three main purposes of the trip were to look after the needs of Taiwanese based in China, convey the problems Chinese regulations have caused small and medium-sized enterprises in Taiwan, and get to know the new Chinese officials in charge of Taiwan affairs, the KMT said.
The delegation left Taiwan for a multi-city tour of China on Wednesday last week.
Photo: CNA
Hsia has met with Chinese Politburo Standing Committee member Wang Huning (王滬寧); Sung Tao (宋濤), the head of Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office; and Yin Li (尹力), the Chinese Communist Party secretary of Beijing.
The delegation also visited Nanjing.
Yesterday morning, Hsia attended an event in Shanghai focused on young entrepreneurs from the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, and met with young Taiwanese entrepreneurs operating there.
The event was held online via a live videoconference.
Speaking at the virtual event, Hsia said there were many factors that have hurt cross-strait economic and trade cooperation over the past few years and posed challenges to cross-strait exchanges.
Due to a lack of mutual trust between Taiwan and China, official cross-strait communications have been suspended, and the implementation of the 23 official agreements between the two sides has been affected, he said.
Unable to get help through official channels, many Taiwanese businesspeople have begun to find possible solutions on their own, or sought the KMT’s help, Hsia said.
Hsia said he believed that Taiwanese in China need to take greater responsibility in dealing with the problems facing them.
With the three main goals being met in the first six days of the trip, Hsia said he would continue to meet with Taiwanese businesspeople in other Chinese cities to learn of their difficulties and ask the Chinese authorities to properly respond to their problems.
Hsia said China has always hoped to promote exchanges between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, and that the talks his delegation has had with the Chinese side indicates there would be more exchanges to come.
“Both sides have a better understanding of each other, which is a good direction for the peaceful development of the two sides of the Strait,” he said.
Hsia is scheduled to make stops in Wuhan, Chongqing and Chengdu during his trip, which is to end on Friday, the KMT said.
Responding to Hsia’s comments, the Mainland Affairs Council said that cross-strait exchanges must be conducted on the basis mutual respect, but the political prerequisites set by Beijing cannot guarantee Taiwan’s interests.
Taiwan is open to visits by Chinese officials who want to understand the diversity of public opinion, as long as it is done under the auspices of “peace, equality, democracy and dialogue,” it added.
Additional reporting by Chen Yu-fu
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