Delegation from Taiwan’s Kinmen calls for enhanced cross-Strait exchanges

BEIJING, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) — A delegation from Taiwan’s Kinmen County is visiting Beijing and has called for enhanced cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation, especially between the county and the mainland.
Song Tao, head of both the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, met with the delegation on Thursday.
During the meeting, Song said the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee has made overall arrangements for further comprehensively deepening reform, which will also provide better conditions and broader space for Taiwan compatriots and enterprises to develop on the mainland.
“We will fully implement the guiding principles from the plenum, promote economic and cultural exchanges and cooperation between the two sides of the Strait, deepen the integrated development in various fields, and enable Taiwan compatriots to share the mainland’s development achievements,” Song said.
Song also vowed resolute actions against “Taiwan independence” separatism and stressed the mainland’s commitment to promoting normal personnel exchanges and regular communication and cooperation between the two sides.
“We strongly support the integrated development of Xiamen and Kinmen,” Song added, while calling on representatives from Kinmen to speak up for cross-Strait ties, adhere to the 1992 Consensus, and oppose “Taiwan independence.”
Hung Yun-tien, a leader of the delegation and local chief lawmaker in Kinmen, called on compatriots on both sides to jointly plan and construct a twin city life circle between Kinmen and Xiamen, so as to improve the well-being of the people on both sides.
Another delegation member voiced opposition against “Taiwan independence,” expressing the hope that visits by the mainland’s Fujian Province residents to Kinmen would resume soon. ■