Cross-Straits agricultural exchanges have done much to benefit both sides, an agricultural official said Friday. Investors from Taiwan have benefited from the huge mainland market, which has helped the growth of labour-intensive industries on the island.

So said Yu Yongwei, director of the Cross-Straits Association of Agricultural Exchanges, speaking at the ongoing Cross-Straits Economic and Trade Forum on Friday.

"The mainland has also learned a lot from Taiwan's advanced experiences and concept of marketing in agriculture," Yu added.

Agricultural exchanges between Taiwan and the mainland began in the 1980s.

Since last April they have been boosted by the mainland's preferential policies. At that time, the then chairman of the island's main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) party Lien Chan met Hu Jintao, general secretary of the Communist Party of China, and reached a consensus on cross-Straits exchanges.

Since then, 15 categories of fruits from Taiwan have been given zero-tariff treatment.

Official statistics show around 1,160 tons of fruit from Taiwan was exported to the mainland last year with no tariffs, saving 1.8 million yuan (US$224,000) in taxation.

Such achievements were made despite disapproval about cross-Straits agricultural exchanges from Taiwan's "pro-independence" Democratic Progressive Party's administration.

Meanwhile, the establishment of experimental zones for cross-Straits agricultural exchanges in coastal provinces on the mainland has also helped to improve co-operation, Yu said.

Citing East China's Fujian Province as an example, Yu said, contracted investment there from Taiwan reached 1.9 billion yuan (US$240 million) last year, around 60 percent of the total foreign investment.

Vegetables from Taiwan will be showcased on the mainland at an agricultural exhibition on April 20 in East China's Shandong Province.

(China Daily April 15, 2006)