When it comes to cross-strait relations, we often hear a description called "cross-strait people are one family." This word "family" contains not only affection, but also more gold. This gold content is indispensable for some measures that benefit Taiwan and the people. For example, in February last year, multiple departments, including the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council and the National Development and Reform Commission, issued a measure document, referred to as the "31 Measures". This measure is regarded as the most influential and most effective measure for Taiwanese compatriots and businessmen in recent years. The policy should be said to have triggered a strong response on the island. And just today, a similar policy was introduced again, that is, the "26 measures" against Taiwan, which has once again become the focus of media attention.
Let’s take a look at the names first. What’s the biggest difference between “31 Measures” and “26 Measures”? First of all, the time span is one year and nine months. The biggest difference in the name is that there are three more words "further" to promote cross-strait economic and cultural exchanges and cooperation. How to go further? What exactly does this "further" advance? , what does it mean for Taiwan compatriots and Taiwanese businessmen? Today we will focus on these 26 further measures.
provides equal treatment to Taiwanese companies and equal treatment to Taiwanese compatriots. This blockbuster news announced at the opening ceremony of the 2019 Cross-Strait Entrepreneurs Purple Mountain Summit held in Nanjing, Jiangsu on the 4th attracted much attention.
Today, 20 relevant departments, including the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council and the Organization Department of the Central Economic and Trade Commission of the National Development and Reform Commission, issued a number of measures to further promote cross-strait economic and cultural exchanges and cooperation, referred to as the "26 Measures", which will be implemented from the date of announcement.
involves 22 departments, and the "26 measures" range from technological innovation, circular economy, financing guarantees to trade relief, and the formulation of import and export facilitation standards, from consular protection, transportation, communication rates to housing qualification support review, and classified recruitment for culture and sports , Taiwanese companies and Taiwanese compatriots further enjoy equal treatment in many fields.
Zhang Qizheng, President of the Beijing Association of Taiwanese Enterprises: The "26 measures" announced today, especially for the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, not only promote economic and cultural exchanges, but also deepen the feelings of the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. This is of course an excellent opportunity for businesses to expand their presence in the mainland. Increasing the depth will give them a greater sense of participation and allow them to deepen their presence in the mainland.
The full text of the "26 Measures" is divided into two parts. The first part is for Taiwanese enterprises, including Articles 1 to 13; the second part is for Taiwan compatriots, including Articles 14 to 26. If you read the 26 measures step by step, you will find that the mainland's equal treatment for Taiwan compatriots can be said to be an enhanced version this time. Behind the word "equal" being mentioned fourteen times is the mainland's response to the reasonable needs of Taiwanese companies and Taiwan compatriots. Sincerity and hard work.
Article 7 of the "26 Measures" in response to the important concerns of Taiwanese compatriots and Taiwanese enterprises. In response to Taiwanese businessmen's response, Taiwanese enterprises increase capital and shareholdings, and whether they can enjoy preferential policies for newly established Taiwanese enterprises. We support various localities to introduce supporting measures based on local actual conditions. , to provide more support for Taiwanese companies to expand their operations and take root in the mainland.
Article 8 addresses the problems of difficulty in financing and expensive financing of Taiwan-funded enterprises, especially small, medium and micro Taiwan-funded enterprises, and proposes solutions in terms of applying for government financing guarantee funds and expanding direct financing channels.
Zhang Qizheng, President of the Beijing Association of Taiwanese Enterprises: Of course, what I value the most is the financial industry. Not only can the financial industry provide financing here, but Taiwanese enterprises or Taiwan's financial industry can also become a source of financing for small loans. Yes, this is also a very strong effort. I believe that if there is this opportunity in the future, I would also like to invest in this small loan investment enterprise.
In addition, the "26 Measures" also focus on more socio-economic development hotspots, which can help Taiwan compatriots and Taiwan companies solve practical problems in a wider and deeper scope. For example, Article 2 clearly welcomes Taiwan-funded enterprises to participate in the construction of mainland China's 5G network and share mainland 5G business opportunities; Article 9 clarifies that Taiwan-funded enterprises can enjoy the same trade remedy protection as mainland enterprises in accordance with the law.It is worth noting that in order to help Taiwanese youth better pursue their dreams on the mainland, the "26 Measures" continue to help their dreams. For example, youth employment and entrepreneurship bases and demonstration sites on both sides of the Taiwan Strait can apply for national-level technology business incubators.
Taiwan compatriots working in the mainland can apply for the Chinese Culture, Art and Animation Government Award. Taiwanese teachers and students who have taught and studied in mainland universities can apply for government-sponsored study abroad qualifications with their Taiwan resident residence permit. Taiwanese athletes are welcome to come to the mainland to participate in professional careers. Leagues and admission to sports colleges, many measures have created a better and bigger stage for Taiwan's young people to display their talents.
creates a better environment and provides better conditions for Taiwan compatriots in study, work and life, promotes integrated development and protects legitimate rights and interests.
The purpose of the "26 Measures" is in line with the "31 Measures" to promote cross-strait economic and cultural exchanges and cooperation. It is to implement the people-centered development philosophy in Taiwan's work, treat Taiwan compatriots equally, and serve the people of the mainland. Another concrete manifestation of benefiting Taiwan compatriots. From 31 items in 2018 to 26 today, improving the institutional arrangements and policy measures that promote cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation, deepen cross-Strait integrated development, and protect the well-being of Taiwan compatriots will be more valuable and benefit a wider range of people.
So far, today’s Weibo post titled “26 Measures to Promote Cross-Strait Economic and Cultural Exchanges” has been read more than 40 million times, and the relevant data is still rising.
Now everyone is paying attention to such upgraded and enhanced versions of the same line. In fact, such enhanced versions are designed to allow Taiwanese compatriots to share more development opportunities in the mainland. For enterprises, their more equal treatment is very unusual. , how extraordinary it is, we can see through some keywords. For example, when it comes to providing equal treatment to Taiwanese companies, there are 13 measures in total, among which major technical equipment and 5G are very eye-catching. And for individual Taiwanese compatriots, measures involving all aspects of life, such as consular protection and home purchase qualifications, can allow them to feel the development of the mainland and seize the opportunities of the development of the mainland. These keywords also reflect our policies towards Taiwan. What do these policies that benefit the people and benefit Taiwan really mean?
Cross-Strait economic and cultural exchanges and cooperation that benefit Taiwan and the people need to be further promoted, but the Taiwan Democratic Progressive Party authorities that refuse to recognize it and undermine cross-Strait relations will not be tolerated.
Spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council Ma Xiaoguang: We have stated many times that the DPP authorities continue to create troubles, undermine cross-strait relations, and interfere with cross-strait exchanges. This is the only and fundamental reason why the mainland film industry has suspended its participation in the 2019 Golden Horse Film Festival.
In August this year, according to news from the National Film Administration, mainland films and personnel were suspended from participating in the 56th Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival in 2019. At the press conference of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council last Wednesday, spokesman Ma Xiaoguang responded to the Taiwanese media’s hype that the mainland’s suspension of films and personnel from traveling to Taiwan to attend the Golden Horse Awards was an act of suppression by the mainland. In fact, in view of the current cross-strait relations, the mainland has suspended 47 cities. Mainland residents are piloting individual travel to Taiwan. After the suspension was implemented on August 1 this year, Taiwanese media described Taiwan's tourism tourism industry as ushering in a dominance. Cold snap.
Li Qiyue, a travel agency operator: In September, the booking volume in Taiwan and Hualien has dropped by more than 30%, and in Hualien, it has dropped by almost 40%.
Taiwan's tourist bus industry has also been directly affected by the absence of tourists from the mainland. Some tourist bus operators in Kaohsiung have to resell their buses. From 128 units at the peak period in the past, there is now only one left.
Tour bus industry Jiang Qixing: If the free tour is gone, then the whole tour will be zero.
According to estimates from Taiwan’s tourism department, from August this year to February next year, the number of mainland tourists to Taiwan will drop by 700,000, which will bring huge losses to Taiwan’s tourism output.
Lai Zhengyi, Chairman of Taiwan Chamber of Commerce : A person from mainland China who comes to Taiwan will spend about NT$40,000, plus other shopping and other such restaurants, it will be more than that, so this is just the surface. It seems that the losses in the tourism industry, and in the economic and trade part, I think are even greater than this number. We think the DPP should conduct a careful review.
In 2008, teams from the mainland to Taiwan were launched. In June 2011, individual travel by mainland residents to Taiwan was officially launched. Over the years, the arrival of mainland tourists has promoted the development of Taiwan’s tourism industry. According to data from Taiwan’s tourism department, in 2016 the Democratic Progressive Party authorities Although the number of individual mainland tourists has been decreasing year by year since taking office, there are still more than 1 million tourists each year. In the first half of this year alone, there were 630,000 individual mainland tourists, accounting for more than half of the overall number of mainland tourists to Taiwan.
Chairman of the Taiwan Cross-Strait Tourism Development Association Yao Daguang: Taiwan's tourism industry is booming. Frankly speaking, it was also in 2008. It was also because mainland tourists came to Taiwan for sightseeing, and then it grew rapidly. Now it seems that we are actually quite pessimistic.
After the suspension of free travel for mainland tourists to Taiwan, Taiwan media reported that the number of people visiting Taiwan during the National Day holiday this year was the lowest in the past 11 years, only one-third of the previous number.
Ma Xiaoguang, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council: It is well known that the reason for the decline in the number of mainland residents traveling to Taiwan is that the DPP authorities continue to drum up Taiwan independence activities, continue to incite hostility towards the mainland, worsen the atmosphere of cross-strait exchanges, and hurt the feelings of mainland compatriots. It may not affect the willingness of mainland people to travel to Taiwan.
It’s not just the tourism industry. Since the DPP authorities took office in 2016, many countries have also cut off diplomatic relations with Taiwan.
Finally, I will end by borrowing Article 14 of the "26 Measures". The main interpretation here is: Taiwan compatriots are also Chinese. If you encounter difficulties overseas, please go to the Chinese embassy or consulate because behind your back There is a powerful motherland, and its name is China.
