Experts urge enhancing economic, industrial exchanges across Strait

Experts from both sides of the Taiwan Strait called for promoting cross-Strait economic and industrial exchanges and cooperation at an academic event held in Beijing on Friday.

The event was one of the "Cross-Strait Scholars Face-to-face" series of academic activities, co-held by Xiamen University and the Academy of Chinese Culture, to enhance in-depth dialogue between scholars from the Chinese mainland and Taiwan.

Yin Cunyi, a professor at Tsinghua University's School of Public Policy and Management, said trade volume between the mainland and the island region accounts for nearly one-third of Taiwan's trade with the outside.

Economic and industrial cooperation and exchanges between the two sides have formed a close bond of material interests of the two sides, which is indispensable, he said.

It has also led to the deepening of exchanges and extensive integration between the two sides at the social level, he added.

Ting Jen-fang, a professor at the Department of Political Science at Taiwan Cheng Kung University, said Taiwan's trade surplus with the mainland reached more than $150 billion last year.

Even if the island authorities obstruct cross-Strait economic integration, a large number of Taiwan business people on the mainland will share with people on the island the idea that the two sides can achieve win-win economic cooperation, he said.

Many mainland products exported to Taiwan, including cultural, film and television products, and even agricultural products, also play an important role in promoting cross-Strait economic exchanges, he added.