Jiao Renhe, former vice-chairman of the Straits Exchange Foundation

"Pingtan is not only a common homeland for people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits, but a showcase attracting global attention. I have always been very positive on the future prospects of both sides," said Jiao Renhe, former vice-chairman of the Straits Exchange Foundation, when he visited Fuzhou recently.

Jiao thinks the traditional cross-Straits cooperation pattern (receiving orders in Taiwan, producing on the mainland, and marketing abroad) is outdated. After the signing of the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA), both sides can take tariff reduction opportunities to provide high-quality raw materials, semi-finished products or intermediate goods to each other's supply chains with their own brands, orders and markets.

In addition, both the 12th Five-Year Plan on the mainland and the Six Key Emerging Industries Plan in Taiwan emphasize green industries focusing on energy conservation and environment protection. Both sides will have broad cooperation prospects in this respect.

Taiwan ranked sixth in a worldwide regional competitiveness report issued by the International Institute for Management Development in Lausanne, Switzerland. As for the green industry, Taiwan ranks high in LED, solar cell, and wind turbine production.

Jiao noted that effective advertisements, exhibitions and pathways are needed to help products become accepted by the market. If a green industry showcase can be built by both sides, it will surely attract world attention and play a more effective role in marketing.

The mainland is focusing on the construction of a western Straits economic zone. Jiao hopes Pingtan can become a common homeland for people on both sides.

"If Pingtan can be built into a showcase for the cross-Straits green industry, it will be a big incentive to attract Taiwan enterprises."

Jiao also believes that product standards not only measure technological maturity, but serve as an operating means to enter the market. Over the past 10 years, both sides missed opportunities due to technical reasons to establish standards in major industries such as 3G communication. Now is a good opportunity for both sides to co-create a green product standard.

"A common standard should be formulated to promote the cross-Straits green products to the world," said Jiao.

Edited by Chen Zhilin and Michael Thai