Fu Laiqing visited the Beijing International Auto Show to experience the new car. Photo courtesy of the interviewee
A delegation of public opinion representatives of the Chinese Kuomintang, led by Fu Laiqing, executive director of the Chinese Kuomintang Policy Council, visited Beijing from the evening of April 26 to April 28. In just two days, they had a tight itinerary, visiting the mainland new energy vehicle companies, the innovation operation center of the Beijing High-level Autonomous Driving Demonstration Zone, and entering the 2024 Beijing International Automobile Exhibition; Exchanges with relevant departments on cross-strait tourism and trade; They also held discussions with Taiwanese, youth, and Taiwan businessmen, which were rich in content and fruitful in their results.
On May 16, Fu Laiqing accepted an exclusive interview with Nandu and N video reporters. Recalling this visit, he said that the compatriots on both sides of the strait belong to the Chinese nation and are the descendants of the dragon, and he hoped that the compatriots on both sides of the strait would be able to have comprehensive exchanges.
01
"We want to compete with the whole world"
The two sides of the strait should maintain cooperation in more fields
Since the beginning of this year, the call for peace and exchanges between the two sides of the strait has become louder and louder. In the spring breeze of April, many groups of Taiwan visiting delegations visited the mainland one after another, setting off an upsurge of cross-strait exchanges.
Ma Ying-jeou led a delegation of young people from Taiwan to the mainland for exchanges, and then Fu Lai-ying led a 25-member delegation, including 17 current representatives of public opinion from the Taiwan region, to visit Beijing.
Referring to this trip to the mainland, Fu Laiqing bluntly told the reporter of the Southern Metropolis that he had encountered a lot of resistance. "On this trip to the mainland, we have taken on a great responsibility, and we are not worried about slander and ridicule, and the focus is to make the people's lives better, and we do not want Taiwan to become the next 'powder keg'."
Fu Lai-ying said: This is a critical moment, and the DPP authorities have pushed Taiwan into a dangerous war, "This time we are going to the mainland not only for the sake of the people living and working in peace and contentment, but also to let all kinds of workers and industries share the dividends of cross-strait peace and let group tourists come to Taiwan for tourism."
He also briefed reporters in the southern capital that before the departure, all walks of life on the island expressed their feelings one after another, hoping that cross-strait exchanges would be fully restored, cross-strait tensions would be reduced, and the economy would be revitalized by opening up mainland tourists and increasing the export of agricultural and fishery products.
He said: "On this cross-strait peaceful ice-breaking trip, we also hope that compatriots on both sides of the strait can have comprehensive exchanges. Although this trip is a small step for the Chinese Kuomintang, it is a big step between the two sides of the strait eight years after the line was broken. ”
At 9 a.m. on April 27, Fu Laiqing and his entourage first arrived at a new energy vehicle factory in Tongzhou District, Beijing. They first visited the exhibition hall to learn about the advanced technology of the "new forces" in car manufacturing.
Fu couldn't help but admire the advanced development of mainland automobile technology and the affordability of the price. He said with emotion: "The two sides of the strait should work together. Energy conservation and carbon reduction are the future trend, which will make cities more beautiful and air fresher."
Fu Laiqing was also deeply impressed by the visit to the 2024 Beijing International Automobile Exhibition. He sat in the Hongqi car and couldn't hide his excitement, standing in front of the latest "flying car" and praising it again and again. He said that the two sides of the strait should maintain cooperation in more fields. "We want to compete with the whole world, not confrontation between the two sides of the strait. We hope that the vitality and creativity of the Chinese nation will be cohesive and lead the international trend. ”
02
"The door to sightseeing has been successfully opened"
The mainland resumed tourism to Matsu for Fujian residents
During the stay of Fu Laiqing and his entourage in Beijing, the mainland side also released full of goodwill and sincerity.
The Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced that it will take the lead in resuming travel from Fujian residents to Matsu, and resume group travel for Fujian residents to Taiwan after the resumption of direct maritime passenger flights from Pingtan to Taiwan; The General Administration of Customs announced that it will approve the import of Taiwanese Wendan pomelo and other agricultural and fishery products that meet the mainland's quarantine requirements into the mainland on the basis of scientific assessment in accordance with laws and regulations; Fujian Province also issued a new batch of 13 policies in three aspects to benefit Taiwan and the people.
In addition, the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council and the Red Cross Society of China have also announced that they will donate prefabricated houses to the earthquake-stricken areas in Hualien, Taiwan through the Red Cross organizations on both sides of the strait, demonstrating the mainland's deep concern for Taiwan compatriots.
It is worth noting that before Fu Laiqing's trip, he was questioned and attacked by the DPP, believing that as a representative of the people's will elected by Hualien, he should first help rebuild his homeland, accusing him of "going to the mainland to ignore the people of Hualien."
Fu Laiqing countered that Hualien not only needs post-disaster reconstruction, but also needs revitalization and rescue. His visit to the mainland is aimed at working hard for the people of Hualien and even the people of Taiwan. He told reporters in Nandu that this trip was "a journey of ice-breaking peace between the two sides of the strait" and at the same time "rejuvenating Taiwan's 100 industries and industries," which has brought very fruitful results to the Taiwan people and "has smoothly opened the door to sightseeing."
03
"Let more mainland tourists enter Taiwan"
There are only 2,000 mainland tourists to Taiwan every day
It is reported that nearly 90 percent of Taiwan's nearly 4,000 tourism operators are directly or indirectly engaged in business with the mainland. The DPP authorities have promised to lift the "ban on group tours" for people on the island to travel to the mainland in groups starting in March this year. However, on 7 February, the tourism authorities of the Taiwan authorities suddenly announced that the plan to allow Taiwan people to travel to the mainland after the Spring Festival would no longer be carried out, and that the island's tourism industry would stop soliciting tour groups to the mainland from now on, and that they could no longer send groups to the mainland after 1 June.
In addition, although the DPP authorities claim to plan to promote the resumption of cross-strait tourism, they have set a limit on the number of tourists: the initial limit for mainland tourists and other group tours to Taiwan is 2,000 per day; Taiwanese travel agencies organized tour groups to go to the mainland, according to the "principle of reciprocity", and the initial number of people was 2,000 per day.
Fu Laiqing questioned: "In the past, there were nearly 5 million mainland residents in Taiwan for cross-strait tourism exchanges in a year, which is equivalent to nearly 15,000 mainland tourists entering Taiwan every day. However, the Taiwan authorities' tourism agency stipulates that only 2,000 people can enter Taiwan every day, which not only does not meet the actual demand, but is also a drop in the bucket. ”
Earlier, Hsiao Bo-jen, chairman of the Taiwan Travel Business Association, also said in an interview with a reporter from Nandu that tourism plays a very important role in cross-strait exchanges and exchanges, and many Taiwan businessmen are willing to set up factories and invest in the mainland when they see business opportunities when they travel to the mainland. "The resumption of cross-strait tourism will allow the two sides of the strait to return to a state of frequent travel and blending, and it will also allow more Taiwan businessmen who are looking for opportunities to understand the needs of the mainland and do business on the mainland."
Fu Laiqing also told reporters in the southern metropolis: "The administrative departments of the Taiwan authorities should step up their efforts to promote comprehensive cross-strait tourism exchanges, strive to restore the glory of peace and prosperity between the two sides of the strait in the past, and enable more mainland tourists to enter Taiwan, get to know Taiwan, and understand Taiwan, and at the same time enable the tourism industry to be revitalized in an all-round way."
04
"Virtue is not lonely, there must be neighbors"
It is expected that Taiwan's young people will thrive in the mainland
Fu Laiqing told reporters in Nandu, "We hope to make great strides to comprehensively promote cross-strait exchanges, increase understanding, reduce hostility, and reduce misunderstanding, so that the people of Taiwan and all walks of life can live and work in peace and contentment and develop their careers."
In recent years, the mainland has always been mindful of the well-being of Taiwan compatriots, taking the lead in sharing with Taiwan compatriots the opportunities of Chinese-style modernization and the fruits of the development and progress of the mainland of the motherland, and actively doing practical, good and difficult things for Taiwan compatriots, so that Taiwan compatriots can have more interests, better well-being and a better future.
Fu Laiqing said: Compatriots on both sides of the strait belong to the Chinese nation and are descendants of the dragon. The fact that young people from Taiwan have come to the mainland for development is a rare opportunity in their lifetimes. "We have high hopes for Taiwan's young talents, and will give more encouragement and support, looking forward to Taiwan's young people growing up on the mainland and becoming famous on both sides of the strait."
"During the two-day trip, we had close discussions with the relevant departments in the mainland, which proved that only through communication can misunderstandings and frictions be reduced." Fu Laiqing told reporters in Nandu.
"Virtue is not lonely, there must be neighbors." Fu Laiqing told this reporter that the door of goodwill of the General Administration of Customs has been opened, and he hopes that the Taiwan side will seize the opportunity to let the good-quality agricultural and fishery products produced by the hard-working Taiwan farmers and fishermen enter the mainland market again, increase their incomes, and enable the Taiwan people to live and work in peace and contentment.
"Heart-to-Hand Connections: Revival" interview series
Co-ordinator: Nandu reporter Xiang Xueni
Writer: Nandu reporter He Jiahui
Written in this issue: Nandu reporter Yang Lingyan