Common proposal passed at cross-Straits agricultural cooperation forum

The Chinese mainland and Taiwan jointly passed a common proposal at the Cross-Straits Agricultural Cooperation Forum, which opened in Hainan on Tuesday.

The common document was endorsed at the concluding session of the forum, which aimed to boost agricultural cooperation and promote peace and development across the Taiwan Straits. The forum was jointly hosted by the Communist Party of China and the Taiwan opposition party, the Chinese Kuomintang. No representative of Taiwan's ruling party was present.

Major points of the proposal are as follows:

-- Endeavors should be made to promote cross-Straits exchanges and cooperation in agriculture. Facing challenges and opportunities from economic globalization and regional economic integration, the sectors should support each other and achieve mutual benefits and common development.

-- Taiwanese farmers and agricultural enterprises are encouraged to invest on the mainland. They are encouraged to participate in the creation of pilot agricultural zones. They will be granted favorable treatment in project approval, land use, infrastructure development, financial support and quarantine.

-- Measures should be taken to ensure the smooth and rapid transport of farm produce from Taiwan to the mainland.

-- The mainland will continue its efforts to assist the sale of Taiwanese farm produce on the mainland. Tax holidays will be granted to agricultural imports from the island.

-- Regular trade of farm produce across the Straits should be maintained. The mainland will increase market regulation and prevent the sale of fruits purporting to come from Taiwan.

-- A mechanism of cross-Straits technical exchange and cooperation in agriculture should be created.

-- Non-government agricultural organizations from both sides of the Taiwan Straits are encouraged to conduct research into pests and diseases, genetically modified foodstuffs and pollution.

At the closing ceremony, Chen Yunlin, director of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, announced a string of new measures the mainland will take to broaden and deepen cross-Straits cooperation in agriculture.

Source: Xinhua