People on both sides of the Taiwan Straits should forge closer ties to develop agriculture, a strategic move that could help both sides to explore the international market, according to a senior government official on Taiwan affairs.
"Developing agriculture together would be beneficial to either side of the straits," said Wang Fuqing, deputy director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council Sunday.
"The two sides are strongly complementary in funds, technology, markets, labor and natural resources," Wang said while opening a three-day cross-straits agricultural co-operation seminar in this capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province.
Since China introduced its reform and opening-up policies in the late 1970s, agriculture on the Chinese mainland has developed remarkably, he said.
He added that cross-straits co-operation in agriculture will help businessmen on both sides of the straits to explore the international market, which will be helpful for the reinvigoration of the Chinese nation.
Liu Chengguo, vice-minister of agriculture, said that China will further reform its agriculture in the years to come, as it will soon become a member of the World Trade Organization.
He said agricultural reforms will provide new historical opportunities for people across the Taiwan straits to carry out cooperation.
During the seminar, the delegates will discuss methods of co-operation and fields for investment.
Last year, the government approved experimental areas in the provinces of Heilongjiang, Fujian, Hainan and Guangdong for businessmen across the straits to work together in developing agriculture.
The experimental areas have got funds, better strains of seeds and technology from Taiwan for producing high-yield crops.
The Chinese mainland has become a hot spot for Taiwan investors. During the first half of the year, both the number of Taiwanese-invested projects and the capital from Taiwanese businessmen exceeded those of the corresponding period of last year.
By June, the Chinese mainland had approved more than 45,000 Taiwan-funded projects, with a contractual value of over US$46.6 billion, according to official statistics.
The seminar is sponsored by the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation and the Heilongjiang provincial government.
(People’s Daily)
