Nanduxun Reporter Li Ling from Beijing At 10:00 a.m. on September 21, the Propaganda Department of the CPC Central Committee held a series of themed press conferences in Beijing. Chen Yuanfeng, deputy director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the Central Committee, introduced the development of Taiwan work and cross-strait relations since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.
Chen Yuanfeng, deputy director of the Central Taiwan Affairs Office.
He said that the cross-strait political exchanges have made historic breakthroughs in the past ten years, promoting the first meeting and direct dialogue and communication between the leaders of the two sides since 1949. The cross-strait affairs departments of the two sides have established a normalized communication mechanism on the basis of common politics, and the heads of the two departments have achieved mutual visits and opened hotlines.
Chen Yuanfeng also mentioned that over the past ten years, Taiwanese compatriots in mainland China have gradually enjoyed the same treatment and development opportunities. A number of institutional arrangements and policy measures to protect the welfare of Taiwanese compatriots have been implemented, such as implementing card-type Taiwanese compatriot certificates, realizing the supply of water to Kinmen in Fujian, and issuing Taiwanese resident residence permits.
has also achieved fruitful results in cross-strait economic and trade cooperation. Data shows that the cross-strait trade volume in 2011 was US$160.03 billion, and in 2021, the cross-strait trade volume increased to US$328.34 billion, doubling in ten years. As of 2011, the total number of Taiwanese investments in mainland China was 85,772. By the end of 2021, the total number of Taiwanese investments in mainland China was 124,142, an increase of 44.7% in ten years. The mainland is firmly ranked in Taiwan's largest export market, the largest source of trade surplus, and the largest destination for overseas investment by Taiwanese businessmen.
Over the past decade, cross-strait personnel exchanges and exchanges from all walks of life have continued to expand. In 2011, there were 7.1 million people cross-strait personnel exchanges, of which 5.26 million people from Taiwan came to the mainland; in 2019, about 9 million people from cross-strait personnel exchanges, of which more than 6 million people from Taiwan came to the mainland. Chen Yuanfeng mentioned that a series of cross-strait exchange activities such as Strait Forum , Shanghai Taipei City Forum , Strait Youth Forum, etc. have maintained the development trend of exchanges and cooperation among compatriots across the Taiwan Strait. In the past three years, affected by the new crown pneumonia epidemic, online exchanges have become the main form of exchanges and interactions between compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. The actual number of participants from all walks of life in Taiwan and the number of online accessibility has repeatedly hit new highs.
In the context of the era where both domestic and international situations have undergone profound and complex changes, promoting the complete reunification of the motherland is facing a new situation. Chen Yuanfeng pointed out, "In the new era, we have stronger forces to oppose 'Taiwan independence' separatism and external interference, and our will and determination to achieve national reunification are stronger."
