People on both sides of the Taiwan Straits should forge closer ties to develop agriculture, a strategic move that could help both sides explore the international market, according to senior officials and experts on both sides of the Straits at a forum in East China's Zhejiang Province yesterday.
"Right now, cross-Straits exchanges and cooperation in the agricultural sector are actively underway. But it must grow wider, faster and reach further in future," said Xu Xiaoqing, vice-minister of the Rural Department at the Research Center to Advise on Economic, Technological and Social Development to the State Council.
"The agriculture in the two sides is strongly complementary in terms of funds, technology, markets, labor and natural resources. That's why we hope to build reciprocal cooperation ties between the two sides," said Xu, at the three-day-forum on post-WTO cross-Straits agricultural cooperation.
They agreed that the mainland enjoys rich agricultural resources, as well as a vast market, abundant labor forces and advanced basic research, while Taiwan in comparison, is more advanced in terms of agricultural production and management, comprehensive marketing systems and capital resources.
"We believe that healthy cooperation ties can be made between the two sides by the mainland's borrowing of experience from Taiwan in technology, management and adjusting its agricultural structure, while Taiwan can move some of its labor-intensive industries to the mainland," said Peng Zuokui, a professor at Taiwan Zhongxing University.
(China Daily October 25, 2002)
