Date: November 17, 2017
MAC Press Release No. 82
Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chang Hsiao-yueh attended the international symposium on "Cross-Strait Economic and Trade Ties: Past, Present and Future" held by the Commerce Development Research Institute as commissioned by the MAC. In her opening remarks, Minister Chang emphasized that the course of cross-Strait economic and trade opening and the concept of "coexistence and co-prosperity" will not change. The government values the existing achievements of economic and trade exchanges across the Taiwan Strait. Noting that, "Where there's a will, there's a way," Minister Chang expressed hope that both sides could exert their political wisdom, resolve differences, cooperate, enhance the well-being of people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, and contribute to peace, prosperity, and development in the region.
During the symposium, Minister Chang said that, although cross-Strait relations have experienced ups and downs over the past 30 years, economic and trade ties between the two sides have never ceased. In the trend of economic globalization, the two sides have complementary strengths and can cooperate to promote mutual prosperity and development. Minister Chang emphasized that cross-Strait economic and trade relations play a vital role in Taiwan’s economic development. She also noted that the government cherishes the existing achievements of exchanges between the two sides. The two sides of the Taiwan Strait face different challenges presented by the constantly changing internal and external economic situation. However, their respective economic strategies share a number of common ideas. They can expand and deepen cooperation based on the principle of mutual benefit and reciprocity.
Minister Chang said that Taiwan is closely watching the new phase of US-China trade relations following the "Trump-Xi Meeting," as well as the stances on regional cooperation presented by various parties at the APEC meeting, including the "Free and Open Indo-Pacific region" strategy, the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP), and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). She called on all parties to embrace a more inclusive mindset and replace confrontation with negotiation. The government has been consistent on its policy position of maintaining the status quo of cross-Strait peace and stability. It will continue to show goodwill, flexibility, pragmatism and rationality. Minister Chang also called on the two sides of the Taiwan Strait to act pragmatically, present new ways of thinking, and seek a new model for interaction.
The MAC stated that the symposium was joined by more than 200 scholars and experts from various fields. The participants jointly discussed Taiwan's participation in regional economic cooperation, the outlook for cross-Strait economic and trade relations and Taiwanese business investment, cross-Strait industry co-opetition, industrial development in Taiwan, and other issues related to the past and future of cross-Strait economic and trade exchanges.