The 2021 Cross-Strait Agricultural Forum was held in Lu

Source: Overseas Network

On October 12, the 2021 Cross-Strait Agricultural Forum opened in Weifang, Shandong. Yu Muming, former chairman of Taiwan's New Party, attended and delivered a speech. (Photo: China News Network)

More than 60 Taiwan-funded enterprises and more than 80 Taiwan businessmen attended the forum on the spot, and more than 10,000 representatives of relevant agriculture-related units, enterprises and institutions on both sides of the Taiwan Strait attended the forum online... The 2021 Cross-Strait Agricultural Forum with the theme of "Deepening Cross-Strait Agricultural Exchanges and Cooperation and Building a Model for Rural Revitalization in Qilu" was recently held in Weifang City, Shandong Province. Participating Taiwan businessmen and experts and scholars conducted in-depth discussions and exchanges on deepening cross-strait agricultural exchanges and cooperation in the fields of exquisite agriculture, creative agriculture, smart agriculture, and deep processing of agricultural products.

The mainland market has great prospects

"Only when cross-strait relations are good will the Taiwan compatriots be good, and only then will the road of cross-strait economic cooperation be broader and wider." Zhang Shihong, director of the Economic Bureau of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said at the opening ceremony that the mainland's economic stability has become more pronounced in strengthening and improving its stability, and it is still the best choice and the greatest opportunity for Taiwan compatriots and Taiwan businessmen to invest and develop their businesses, and it is also an important driving force for Taiwan's economic development.

Yu Muming, former chairman of Taiwan's New Party, said that agricultural exchanges and cooperation play an important role in cross-strait relations. With the development of modern agricultural science and technology, the new momentum of agricultural development has continued to grow, and there is a broad space for cross-strait agricultural cooperation in the future. "It is hoped that people of insight on both sides of the strait will work together and make joint efforts to make positive contributions to the peaceful development of cross-strait relations and national rejuvenation."

"There is strong complementarity in cross-strait agricultural cooperation. Taiwan started early in refined agriculture, leisure and sightseeing agriculture, and agricultural science and technology, and the mainland attaches great importance to agricultural and rural development and a broad market, and the cooperation between the two sides has great potential. Li Zhenghong, president of the All-China Federation of Taiwan Enterprises, said that he hoped that the Taiwan businessmen attending the forum would seek opportunities for cooperation through discussions, talks, observations, and exhibitions during the forum, actively carry out extensive and in-depth cooperation, and help the construction of beautiful villages.

Lutai agricultural cooperation opportunities are unlimited

Deepening agricultural cooperation between Lutai and Taiwan has broad space, a solid foundation, and major opportunities and major policy benefits. Zhang Jiangting, member of the Standing Committee of the Shandong Provincial CPC Committee and director of the United Front Work Department, said in his speech. As for Zhang Jiangting's remarks, Taiwan businessman Liu Zhucheng has a lot of say. In the past 20 years since its establishment in Weifang, Shandong Province, Liu Zhucheng's modern agricultural enterprises have covered breeding duck breeding, hatching of young ducks, standardized breeding of commercial ducks, feed processing, biopharmaceuticals, meat duck slaughtering and processing and its product sales and other diversified services, products not only in the mainland sales, but also exported to Russia, Southeast Asia and other places. At the same time, the company's meat and duck breeding adopts the management mode of "company + base + farmer + standardization", which effectively drives local farmers to increase their income. This is a microcosm of Lutai agricultural cooperation.

Some Taiwan-funded enterprises have signed contracts and started construction of a number of new projects such as e-commerce platforms and biotechnology research institutes cooperated with Weifang. Tian Qingying, secretary of the Weifang Municipal Party Committee, said that at present, Weifang actively integrates into and serves the new development pattern, makes greater efforts to explore new mechanisms for modern agricultural cooperation, innovates new models of trade customs clearance, accelerates the construction of modern agricultural demonstration bases on both sides of the strait, better promotes the high-quality development of agriculture in the two places, and better improves the well-being of farmers in the two places.

Equal treatment is constantly implemented

"On March 17 this year, the '22 Measures for Agriculture and Forestry' was introduced, further providing equal treatment for Taiwan compatriots and Taiwan enterprises in the field of agriculture and forestry." Zhang Shihong said: The Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council will work with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and other departments to implement the "22 Measures for Agriculture and Forestry" so that Taiwan compatriots and Taiwan enterprises can develop in a better environment and better conditions on the mainland.

At the forum, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs made a policy interpretation of the "22 Measures for Agriculture and Forestry", and the Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of Shandong Province and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of Shandong Province introduced the development of agriculture in Shandong Province, the implementation rules and guidelines of the "22 Measures of Agriculture and Forestry" in Shandong Province. Many Taiwan businessmen attending the meeting said that after listening to the relevant departments' interpretation of the "22 Measures for Agriculture and Forestry," they had a better understanding of how to solve problems in land use, financing, and sales when engaging in agricultural investment on the mainland, while the announcement of the implementation rules and guidelines for the "22 Measures for Agriculture and Forestry" in Shandong Province made them feel that the policy of equal treatment was continuously implemented in practice.

"Cross-strait communication is smooth, smooth is harmonious, and peace is win-win." Lian Shengwen, chairman of the Taiwan Youth Development Foundation, said in a video speech that the mainland's introduction of the "22 Measures for Agriculture and Forestry" has created more favorable conditions for Taiwan compatriots to participate in rural revitalization. It is believed that compatriots on both sides of the strait will advance hand in hand and strengthen exchanges, which will surely achieve deeper cooperation. (Reporter Chai Yifan)

People's Daily Overseas Edition ( November 3, 2021, Edition 04)