29 ideas to boost Straits ties

Expanding educational exchanges and encouraging joint television and film projects were among a list of 29 suggestions proposed Sundayto strengthen ties across the Taiwan Straits.

The ideas came during the 5th cross-Straits forum hosted by the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Kuomintang (KMT) in Changsha, Hunan province, to promote further cooperation in culture, education and trade.

Kuomintang chairman Wu Poh-hsiung (left), teams up with pop singer Zhang Liangying on Saturday evening at a gala for the 5th Cross-Straits Economic, Trade and Cultural Forum between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan in Changsha, Hunan province. [Photo by Song Jihe/Chinadaily]
The event was attended by officials, scholars and business leaders from both sides of the Straits and showed how Chinese culture was a key bond linking the sentiments of both people.

The 29 ideas also included enhancing conservation of cultural relics, helping the mainland and Taiwanese media set up offices on each other's side as soon as possible, and helping Taiwan-owned firms to expand on the mainland, as well as jointly develop technologies and products in the fields of energy conservation and new energy.

Although the forum has no executive power, the KMT and CPC will push forward the suggestions to government authorities, said KMT Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung.

He said they would also encourage scholars to compile a reference book to help bridge language gaps across the Straits.

"The Chinese nation originates in its culture," said Li Jiaquan, a senior researcher at the China Academy of Social Sciences. "Taiwan's former leaders Lee Teng-hui and Chen Shui-bian both tried to eliminate this origin and split Taiwan from the mainland."

Cultural exchanges can now revive China's national identity among people across the Straits, he said.

Wu said cross-Straits ties had made great progress since last year, and added: "We recognize the communication, exchanges and integration of culture will play a key role in making further and substantial breakthroughs in mainland-Taiwan relations."

Around 530 people, 270 from Taiwan, attended the two-day forum.

Cai Wu, minister of culture, said authorities are making policies to encourage and develop Taiwan's entertainment industries on the mainland.

He said people in the industry would be able to run performance venues through jointly investing in or cooperating with mainland enterprises, or could even fund such venues on their own, while industry brokers will also be able to set up branches on the mainland.

Tian Jin, deputy director of the State Administration for Radio, Film and Television, said on the sidelines of the forum that the Taiwan cable TV network will also be able to provide information services in nearby Fujian province.

Wu Poh-hsiung said the KMT and CPC agreed to stage future forums and to invite people from more fields.

Former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislator Hsu Jung-shu, the first DPP member to attend the forum, said the discussion in Changsha was "natural and pleasant".

The DPP passed a regulation before the forum barring party members who have served as party or elected officials from taking part, threatening "strict disciplinary action".

However, Hsu said: "The DPP should set up a channel to communicate with the CPC, like the KMT."