Taipei urged to respond to panda goodwill
By Cao Desheng (China Daily)
Updated: 2005-09-29 05:58

Instead, it insisted the issue be dealt with in line with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, which regulates state-to-state trade in endangered species.

On the issue of fruit imports, another result of Lien's landmark visit, Li said that thanks to the mainland's exemption of import tariffs on 15 kinds of fruit from Taiwan, farmers there can benefit from the large mainland market.

Statistics indicate that more than 400 tons of fruit were imported to the mainland from the island during the July-August period.

The mainland offers convenience for the import and quarantine of farm produce from Taiwan, said Li.

Various exhibitions and trade talks have been held to promote Taiwan fruit and other farm produce on the mainland market. So far, high-quality Taiwan fruit have entered major mainland markets in cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Xiamen and Ningbo, Li said.

In addition, a special office has been set up to deal with Taiwan business people on the mainland to protect their rights and interests.

The establishment of the petitions co-ordination bureau, under the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, shows the mainland attaches great importance to the protection of the rights and interests of Taiwan business people, said Li

In another development, the Taiwan authorities announced yesterday that from Monday it would for the first time allow the exchange of the mainland currency, renminbi or yuan, on Kinmen and Matsu, two small islands close to the mainland, Xinhua News Agency reported.

The exchange of currencies would be limited to a maximum of 20,000 yuan or 82,000 New Taiwan dollars (US$2,500) per person.

(China Daily 09/29/2005 page1)