Taiwan's WTO membership following that of China's mainland will help create more opportunities for economic development of and cooperation between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits, Shi Guangsheng, minister of foreign trade and economic cooperation said Tuesday.
In response to queries at a press conference sponsored by the ongoing fourth session of the Ninth National People's Congress (NPC), Shi said that following China's mainland, Taiwan will join the WTO in the name of "Taiwan, Penghu, Jinmen and Mazu" or "China Taipei" for short.
After that, Shi noted, China's mainland and Taiwan will be of both the relations between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits and between two WTO members.
That will create very favorable conditions for promoting exchanges in mail service, trade, air and shipping services across the Taiwan Straits, Shi said.
The direct, two-way and mutually-beneficial exchanges in these areas will greatly enhance multi-area trade and economic cooperation between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits and that will benefit both sides, Shi said.
(China Daily 03/13/2001)
