The first Cross-Straits Nongovernmental Forum of Elites opened
in Shanghai today, aiming to provide a new platform for commercial
and academic exchanges between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan.
Chen Yunlin, director of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist
Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said the two-day event was
"of far-reaching significance to push cross-Straits relations
toward peaceful and stable development."
"We hope we can collect the ideas and suggestions of people from
all walks of life on both sides of the Straits on major issues
concerning cross-Straits relations through the forum," said
Chen.
Jia
Qinglin, member of the Standing Committee of the Political
Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and James Soong, chairman of
Taiwan's People First Party (PFP) were present at the opening
session.
Jointly sponsored by Taiwan Work Office and the policy research
center of the PFP Central Committee, the forum is one result of
Soong's meeting with Hu
Jintao, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, in
May.
More than 120 academics and business people from both sides of
the Straits attended to discuss Taiwan investment in the mainland,
direct air and shipping links, agricultural exchange and
cooperation and improvement in investment and trade.
Soong arrived in Shanghai yesterday afternoon to a warm
welcome.
(Xinhua News Agency September 15, 2005)
