Chinese businessmen on both sides of the Taiwan Straits are
beginning to join hands in tapping world market, according to
experts attending the ongoing Fifth Xiamen-Taiwan Trade Fair, which
opened in east China's Xiamen City last Thursday.
For the first time, the fair has been sponsored by both sides
across the Straits and become an occasion of mutual exchanges and
cooperation, which is a radical change from the originally
export-oriented approach by the mainland side.
Statistics show that the year 2000 saw a record US$30.5 billion of
trade between the two sides, approximately 396 times of the figure
in 1979 when the two sides resumed trade.
According to an official from the Ministry of Foreign Trade and
Economic Cooperation, the mainland boasts abundant resources, huge
market, and cheap labor, while Taiwan has advantages in
high-technology, capital, and global trading network.
"Economically complementary, both sides could benefit from the
cooperation," he said.
South China's Zhujiang Delta and the Yangtze River Delta in east
China, among other regions, are not only the favorite of Taiwan
investors but have been transformed as the production bases and
spring-boards for Taiwan companies to enhance presence on world
market, Taiwan businessmen held.
(Xinhua 04/15/2001)