After the highly anticipated “Xi-Zheng meeting”, China’s mainland authorities on Sunday (April 12) announced ten policy measures to promote cross-strait exchange and cooperation. These encompass exploring the establishment of a regular communication mechanism between the Kuomintang (KMT) and Chinese Communist Party (CCP), promoting bridge connections between Fujian’s coastal areas and Kinmen-Matsu, as well as resuming pilot programs for individual travel from residents of Shanghai and Fujian to Taiwan’s main island.
According to the CCTV News client on Sunday (April 12), at the invitation of the CPC Central Committee and General Secretary Xi Jinping, KMT Chairwoman Cheng Liwen led a delegation to visit the mainland from last Tuesday (April 7) to Sunday. Xi Jinping met Cheng Liwen and delivered an important speech, pointing out the direction for the development of inter-party and cross-strait relations.
The report stated that to promote the peaceful development of cross-strait relations and enhance the well-being of compatriots, with consultation from relevant departments, the Taiwan Affairs Office of the Central Committee, with authorization, released ten policy measures.
First, explore the establishment of a regular communication mechanism between the Kuomintang and the Chinese Communist Party. On the shared political basis of adhering to the “1992 Consensus” and opposing “Taiwan independence,” the CCP and KMT will uphold the concept of “both sides of the strait are one family,” respond to the common aspirations for peace, development, exchange, and cooperation among compatriots on both sides, adopt stronger measures to actively promote cross-strait exchanges and integration, and work together with compatriots on both sides to create lasting well-being for the Chinese nation and write a new chapter in its history.
First, explore the establishment of a regular communication mechanism between the Kuomintang and the Chinese Communist Party. On the shared political basis of adhering to the “1992 Consensus” and opposing “Taiwan independence,” the CCP and KMT will uphold the concept of “both sides of the strait are one family,” respond to the common aspirations for peace, development, exchange, and cooperation among compatriots on both sides, adopt stronger measures to actively promote cross-strait exchanges and integration, and work together with compatriots on both sides to create lasting well-being for the Chinese nation and write a new chapter in its history.
Second, establish a regularized two-way youth exchange platform between the two parties. The All-China Youth Federation and the KMT Youth Affairs Development Committee will regularly organize cross-strait youth exchange activities. Relevant organizations on the mainland, such as the All-China Youth Federation, will invite 20 Taiwanese youth groups to visit the mainland each year. Third, promote water, electricity, gas, and bridge connections between Fujian coastal areas and Kinmen, Matsu when conditions permit.
Fourth, promote the comprehensive normalization of cross-strait direct passenger flights to further facilitate people-to-people exchanges. Support the early resumption of cross-strait flights from cities such as Urumqi, Xi’an, Harbin, Kunming, and Lanzhou. Support Kinmen in sharing Xiamen’s new airport. Fifth, establish a communication mechanism on the political basis of adhering to the “1992 Consensus” and opposing “Taiwan independence” to facilitate the entry of Taiwan’s agricultural and fishery products that meet inspection and quarantine standards into the mainland. Support Taiwan agricultural and fishery products’ participation in various exhibitions, sales, and matchmaking events on the mainland to expand sales channels.
Sixth, improve cross-strait fishery access management and study the construction of docks and berths for Taiwanese distant-water fishing vessels and the landing of their catches in suitable regions. Study ways to facilitate the sale of Taiwanese self-caught distant-water fisheries products in the mainland. Seventh, make the registration of eligible Taiwanese food manufacturing enterprises and the import of Taiwanese food products to the mainland more convenient. Eighth, study the establishment of new small-scale commodity trading markets for Taiwan in eligible areas, and support Taiwan’s small and micro enterprises in lawfully expanding into the mainland market.
Ninth, allow the introduction of Taiwanese TV dramas, documentaries, and animation that are oriented correctly, positive in content, and of high production quality to be broadcast on mainland satellite TV and online audiovisual platforms. Taiwanese operators can participate in the creation of micro-short dramas on the mainland in various ways. Promote the broadcast of audiovisual works that are conducive to showcasing cross-strait kinship and beautiful life on both sides and promote the protection, inheritance, and innovative development of Chinese culture. Tenth, promote the resumption of pilot individual travel from Shanghai and Fujian residents to Taiwan’s main island.
Previously, Taiwan’s United Daily News cited an unnamed tourism industry insider familiar with cross-strait tourism as questioning: If these benefits were negotiated by Cheng Liwen, how could the DPP government possibly admit it? Wu Yingliang, chairman of the Taiwan National Travel Industry Association, also said that even if the mainland issued these tourism benefits, the key lies in whether the Taiwanese government accepts and acknowledges them.
According to Reuters, since the end of the Covid-19 pandemic, mainland tourism to Taiwan has not resumed on a large scale, with both sides blaming each other for the situation.
Taiwan has previously pointed out that the mainland restricts the import of certain agricultural and fishery products, and stated that the mainland in some cases invokes measures to prevent the spread of pests and diseases, but the justification is lacking validity.
The “Xi-Zheng meeting” took place last Friday morning (April 10) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. In their opening statements, both Xi Jinping and Cheng Liwen closely echoed each other politically, both mentioning the “1992 Consensus” and opposition to “Taiwan independence,” emphasizing peace as the core theme of the meeting and elevating cross-strait ties to the level of the Chinese nation and civilization. This was the first meeting between the top leaders of the two parties at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing in ten years.