Cross-Strait exchange event calls for joint efforts to oppose "Taiwan secession"

A cross-Strait exchange event that opened on Sunday in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, called for joint efforts across the Taiwan Strait to oppose "Taiwan secession," strengthen people-to-people exchanges, and enhance the well-being of people on both sides of the Strait.

Approximately 300 participants took part in the gathering.

In his speech at the opening ceremony, Song Tao, head of both the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, stated that efforts would continue to respect, care for, and benefit Taiwan compatriots, safeguard their interests, and improve their well-being.

He expressed the hope that Taiwan compatriots would work together with their mainland counterparts to uphold the "1992 Consensus," oppose "Taiwan secession," resist external interference, coercion, and blackmail, firmly defend the interests and well-being of people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, and join hands in realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

While addressing the event, Sean Lien, vice chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) party, said that as compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to the same Chinese nation and share a common destiny, no artificial barrier can sever the ties between them.

Noting that there are not only shared interests but also deep emotional bonds between the two sides, he called for joint efforts to overcome external challenges and promote national rejuvenation.

Lien emphasized that the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) party will continue to advance the development of cross-Strait relations in the right direction, based on the "1992 Consensus" and opposition to "Taiwan secession," in order to seek the greatest benefits for people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

Other guests shared their experiences in improving residents' livelihoods and optimizing the business environment. They emphasized that, in light of the current international situation, the two sides of the Taiwan Strait should strengthen grassroots exchanges, promote people-to-people interaction, and advance economic cooperation to build a better future together.

"We all very much hope that peace, wisdom, and other strengths from both sides of the Taiwan Strait can come together to create even greater business opportunities," said Chiu Ching-chun, Hsinchu County magistrate.

"The compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait share the same culture and ancestry. I believe we should have a common goal: to enable the children of the Chinese nation to stand tall in the world and usher in a new century. As for the misguided actions and ideas of certain politicians in Taiwan, I believe we should all stand against them," said Chou Hsi-wei, vice chairman of Want Want Group.

Prior to the event, Song Tao met with Sean Lien and other Taiwanese guest representatives in Hangzhou.

Cross-Strait exchange event calls for joint efforts to oppose "Taiwan secession"

China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) will work with relevant departments and local authorities to take concrete steps to promote the implementation of the newly passed private sector promotion law, a landmark legislation concerning a vast economic force in the country, said an NDRC official.

China's top legislative body -the National People's Congress - passed the private sector promotion law on Wednesday, establishing a legal backing for the steady and healthy growth of the key sector, including more than 57 million private firms and over 100 million self-employed individuals.

This landmark law is China's first fundamental legislation dedicated to the private sector. It will bolster confidence among the vast community by improving the business environment, fostering innovation, and ensuring fair competition, according to NDRC, the country's top economic planner.

"The private sector promotion law has actively responded to the key concerns in the development of the private sector. Efforts are made to establish and improve relevant systems and enhance the enforceability of the systems, from ensuring fair competition, improving investment and financing environment, supporting technology innovation, focusing on regulated operation, optimizing services and guarantees, and improving rights and interest protection, to strengthening legal accountability, so as to ensure that all forms of ownership can equally utilize production factors by the law, participate in market competition fairly, receive equal legal protection, further unleash their complementary advantages, and pursue common development," said Liu Min, deputy director of Private Sector Development Bureau under NDRC.

Liu added NDRC will continue to work together with relevant departments and local authorities to improve supporting systems and mechanisms and take concrete steps to promote the implementation of the private sector promotion law.

"We will make continuous and increasing efforts to remove barriers to market access and to fair competition, to address the issue of overdue payments to private enterprises, to protect the lawful rights and interests of private businesses and entrepreneurs by the law, to implement various relief policies, to help private enterprises shoulder their responsibilities of the era, so as to help translate legal systems into concrete actions and tangible outcomes that promote the high-quality development of the private sector," said Liu.

Concrete steps to take for firmly implementing China's landmark private sector promotion law: official