China News Agency, Beijing, December 23rd, title: Taiwan's business circles travel across the sea to exchange, so that the "decoupling theory" of the cross-strait economy is self-defeating

  China News Agency reporter Rong Haisheng

  The annual meeting of the Cross-Strait Entrepreneurs Summit was held in Xiamen a few days ago. Liu Zhaoxuan led a delegation to the meeting for the first time after overcoming all difficulties after taking over as the chairman of the Taiwan side of the summit.

This is also the first high-level economic and trade exchange event that entrepreneurs from both sides of the Taiwan Strait have participated in after the closing of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.

  Since the opening of non-governmental exchanges between the two sides of the strait in the late 1980s, the field of cross-strait economic cooperation has gradually expanded. Especially in the past 10 years since the establishment of the Cross-Strait Entrepreneur Summit, the industrial division and cooperation between the two sides of the strait have become closer, and the degree of industrial dependence and integration has continued to increase.

An economic pattern featuring win-win cooperation, mutual benefit and complementarity, and close ties between the two sides has been formed.

The current cross-strait relations are complicated and severe, and Taiwan's business circles are still actively participating across the sea, reflecting the consensus of the two sides and the common aspiration of the business circles of both sides that this pattern will continue to grow.

  Although the DPP authorities have curtailed cross-strait economic exchanges and cooperation in recent years and obstructed normal economic and trade exchanges, judging from the attendance and results of the summit annual meeting, cross-strait economic cooperation has not "cooled down."

The mainland's economy has demonstrated strong resilience and great potential. Cross-strait economic and trade cooperation is still the driving force and opportunity for Taiwan's economic development, which is in line with the interests and well-being of compatriots on both sides of the strait.

  Relevant statistics from the Taiwan authorities show that from January to October this year, Taiwan's total exports to the mainland and Hong Kong accounted for 38.8%, and the annual growth rate showed signs of slowing down.

Some people believe that this means that Taiwan's economy is less dependent on the mainland.

However, some analysts on the island responded that for Taiwan, the huge mainland market is still irreplaceable, which is the most important reason for the long-term economic and trade improvement between the two sides of the strait.

After the scale of cross-strait economic and trade has experienced long-term rapid growth, it is a normal fluctuation for the growth rate to slow down.

  From January to November this year, cross-strait trade volume reached US$294.5 billion, bringing Taiwan a huge trade surplus of about US$143.8 billion.

The production and operation of many Taiwanese enterprises in the mainland have grown against the trend, and some large enterprises have increased capital and expanded production. This year, 9 new Taiwanese enterprises have been listed on the mainland, and the total number has reached 58.

  Taiwan's business community "landed" across the sea to go to exchanges, so that the "decoupling theory" of the cross-strait economy was self-defeating.

Facts have proved that the cross-strait economies are inseparable and inseparable. Only by strengthening cooperation can people on both sides of the strait benefit more, and Taiwan's economic development and improvement of people's livelihood will have greater certainty and more solid support.

The mainland's willingness to promote economic and trade exchanges and cooperation between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait remains stable, and policy measures continue to be enriched, which are in line with the common interests of both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

However, with the optimization and upgrading of the mainland's industrial structure, the investment environment for Taiwanese businessmen is changing.

  During the decades of rapid economic development in the mainland, Taiwanese businessmen mainly invested in manufacturing in the mainland, with strong self-supporting capabilities.

Today, under the background of domestic demand-driven economic development centered on science and technology, high-tech enterprises on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are entering into a competitive relationship.

However, competition does not mean that they cannot complement each other, nor does it mean the termination of cross-strait economic and trade cooperation.

Only by changing their development concepts and actively adapting to changes in the mainland's economic environment can Taiwanese businessmen seek better development.

  This year marks the 35th anniversary of breaking the isolation between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait and opening non-governmental exchanges.

With regard to normal cross-strait economic and trade exchanges, the mainland's attitude has been consistent, that is, it supports, encourages, and welcomes more exchanges and cooperation between people in the economic and trade circles on both sides of the strait, so as to jointly promote the peaceful and integrated development of cross-strait relations.

(use up)