New economic zone

A blueprint to support the development of an economic zone on the western side of the Taiwan Straits was officially announced on May 14.

The new economic zone faces Taiwan across the Straits. It neighbors the Yangtze River Delta to the north and the Pearl River Delta to the south, two economic powerhouses on the Chinese mainland. Cross-Straits contacts and exchanges were cold or non-existent for most of the last century. But lately the situation has improved and cooperative development is the common expectation of people in Taiwan and on the mainland.

Fujian province enjoys special advantages because of its geographical and cultural closeness to, and its growing business deals with, Taiwan. Many families on both sides of the Straits have relatives on the other.

Fujian should do its utmost to spur cooperation with Taiwan and should update its infrastructure for direct postal, air and shipping services across the Straits.

Fujian was among the first Chinese provinces involved with reform and opening up in the late 1970s and early 1980s and will again take a leading role by improving cross-Straits relations and boosting economic growth.

The new economic zone is a chance for Fujian to become one of China's top economic regions.

www.people.com.cn

(China Daily 05/25/2009 page2)