Penghu delegation visits mainland, expressing hope to enhance cross-Strait exchanges

A delegation from Taiwan region's Penghu County, on a visit in Beijing, has called for enhanced cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation.

Song Tao, head of both Taiwan Work Office of Communist Party of China Central Committee and Taiwan Affairs Office of State Council on Thursday met with the delegation of Penghu County Council in Beijing.

Song said that the mainland is actively promoting cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation, supporting Fujian Province in taking greater strides to explore new paths for integrated development across the Taiwan Strait, and advance integration with counties and cities like Penghu so as to enhance the well-being of Taiwan compatriots.

Stressing that the 1992 Consensus are recognized by people with vision from all sectors in Penghu, the members of the delegation said that Penghu residents hope for peace and harmony across the Taiwan Strait and look forward to closer connections between people from both Taiwan and the mainland. They hope to remove barriers to cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation, allowing Penghu to play a more significant role in cross-Strait interactions.

"Since mainland tourists were allowed to travel in Taiwan in 2008, there have been significant challenges in recent years. The year 2014 marked a peak of tourism in Penghu, but after Tsai Ing-wen took office in 2016, tourist numbers began to decline and have now nearly reached zero. With the current unfavorable cross-Strait atmosphere, it is the people who are suffering," said Chen Jen-ho, president of the Penghu County Tourism Interpretation Association.

"After Kinmen and Matsu resumed the 'Mini Three Links,' some tourism industry professionals in Penghu hope that Penghu will be open to mainland tourists, whether in a group tour or an individual tour, allowing them to visit the well-known 'Grandma's Penghu Bay.' I believe we should also build bridges of communication so that both sides of the Taiwan Strait can thrive together, and become even better," said Chen Yu-Jen, Penghu County Council speaker.

Penghu delegation visits mainland, expressing hope to enhance cross-Strait exchanges

In the first three quarters of 2024, Shanghai's trade with other BRICS countries totaled 747.76 billion yuan (about 104.69 billion U.S. dollars), up by 5.4 percent year on year, accounting for 16.2 percent of the national total, according to data released by Shanghai Customs on Thursday.

Shanghai's export to other BRICS countries was 576.03 billion yuan in the first three quarters, a year-on-year increase of 8.7 percent, while import from other BRICS countries reached 171.73 billion yuan.

With advanced manufacturing system and technological advantages, mechanical and electrical products exported from Shanghai are quite popular in other BRICS countries.

In the first three quarters, Shanghai exported 361.8 billion yuan of mechanical and electrical products to other BRICS countries, up by 8.4 percent year on year, accounting for over 60 percent of the total export value. Among them, the exports of automobiles, household appliances, general equipment and electrical equipment totaled 51.24 billion yuan, 5.43 billion yuan, 14.88 billion yuan and 30.83 billion yuan, respectively, up by 51.5 percent, 41.1 percent, 28.4 percent and 10.8 percent year on year respectively.

The export of electric passenger vehicles to other BRICS countries grew rapidly, totaling 12.08 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of nearly three times.

Shanghai’s trade with other BRICS countries was also quite substantial in sectors of agricultural products, textiles and mineral resources.

In the first three quarters, Shanghai imported 44.74 billion yuan of agricultural products, 5.6 billion yuan of textile raw materials, 3.02 billion yuan of metal minerals and ores, and 13.14 billion yuan of unwrought copper and copper materials from other BRICS countries, up by 9.9 percent, 229 percent, 47.7 percent and 23.9 percent year on year respectively.

Shanghai Port handles 16.2 percent of trade between China, other BRICS countries