Liu Xiangdong, assistant minister of
Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation, urged on August 21,
1996 the Taiwan authorities to remove obstacles as early as
possible and take substantial steps under the one-China
principle to start a direct mail service, trade, air and
shipping services across the Taiwan Straits.
He made the remarks when a regulation on
managing cargo transport agents was issued in Beijing by the
ministry.
He said the promulgation of the
document, and another regulation on the management of direct
passenger and cargo shipping business, was of an important
significance to the development of closer economic
relationship and trade between the two sides.
It is known to all that the Chinese government
has made unremitting efforts for developing economic
relations and trade between the two sides.
As
early as January 1, 1979, the Standing Committee of the
National People's Congress called for the direct exchange of
mail services, trade, air and shipping services.
Over the past 17 years, the ministry has
worked hard in this regard and adopted a series of policies
and measures with a view to pushing forward economic
relations and trade between the two sides.
In
trade, Liu said that the mainland first unilaterally opened
its market, and adopted preferential taxation rates in
importing commodities from Taiwan.
At the end
of 1995, the mainland's unfavorable balance of trade with
Taiwan amounted to 53.6 billion U.S. Dollars. This fully
shows the mainland's determination and sincerity to promote
the exchange of trade across the straits.
In
investment, Liu said that the ministry also enacted a series
of preferential policies to encourage Taiwan compatriots to
invest in the mainland.
The law on the
protection of investment from the Taiwan compatriots,
promulgated by the ministry in 1994, has provided Taiwan
investors with the full protection by law, he said, adding
that relevant departments will formulate regulations on the
full implementation of the law in a shortest possible time.
But Liu noted that the Taiwan authorities have
stuck to the policy of no contact, no negotiations and no
compromise, and have refused to realize the direct exchange
of mail service, trade, air and shipping services.
He pointed out that the Taiwan authorities'
attempt to create "two Chinas" has resulted in a
tense relationship across the Taiwan Straits, which also
affected the Taiwan economy.
Under those
circumstances, industrialists on the Taiwan Island urgently
asked for practical measures to be taken to improve
relations across the straits, he said.
But, he
said, leaders of the Taiwan authorities recently declined to
talk about the exchange of mail services, trade, air and
shipping services. This shows that they have no sincerity at
all to improve relations between the two sides.
He expressed the hope that the Taiwan
authorities will put the overall interest of the Chinese
nation above everything else to realize the exchange of the
three services at an early date.
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