Peace, development common aspiration of compatriots across Taiwan Straits: official

BEIJING -- A Chinese mainland official on Taiwan affairs Wednesday said the mainland attaches great importance to the call of Taiwan farmers and fishers to resume agricultural and aquatic product imports from the island.

Song Tao, head of both the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, made the remarks while meeting Huang I-cheng, chairman of the association for agriculture and fishery exchange, development and investment across the Taiwan Straits.

Song said peace, development, exchange and cooperation are the common aspiration of compatriots across the Straits, adding that supporting Taiwan farmers and fishers to share development opportunities on the mainland serves the common interests of compatriots on both sides of the Straits.

Efforts will be made to facilitate the resumption of the entry of agricultural and aquatic products from the island on the premise of meeting the inspection and quarantine standards.

Huang said he would work with compatriots on the island to contribute to cross-Straits exchanges and cooperation and the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations.