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Taiwan Authorities Urged to Open Direct Flights with Mainland
Some Taiwan investors in China's mainland, Wednesday in Taipei, called on Taiwan authorities to earnestly review their current mainland policy, give businessmen their due status and open cross-Strait direct flights as quickly as possible.
A news briefing held by Taiwan's "China Taiwanese Merchants Development Promotion Commission" Wednesday invited chairmen of 19 Taiwan Merchants Associations of Beijing, Nanjing, Guangzhou, Fuzhou, Chongqing and Shenzhen to attend the meeting.
The Taiwan merchants present at the meeting expressed their dissatisfaction over the statements made by those in the Taiwan authorities who charged that Taiwanese businessmen investing in the mainland had led to economic deterioration and rising unemployment rate on the Island, thinking that the authorities' charge was unfair. They said for more than a decade, they have lacked clearly defined position in the Island, nor received effective help and assistance from the related department of the authorities.
The merchants sharply criticized Taiwan's current policy toward the mainland. They pointed out that without Taiwan businessmen investing in the mainland, Taiwan's economy would have collapsed long before and the share index would have dropped 2000 points. Over the past year since it came to office, the new authority has talked much but done little. There is nothing new in its mainland policy. It is hoped that the new authority will not behave like a "frog at the bottom of a well". Only with further opening of investment in the mainland, can there be hope for the revitalization of Taiwan's economy.
Qiu Jinyi, former secretary-general of Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), again called on Taiwan authorities to accept the "1992 Consensus" as soon as possible. He said that persons like him who participated in the "1992 Talks" have never "sold off" Taiwan. They felt distressed at seeing the current situation. Qiu advised Taiwan authorities to "repent" and "pull back before it is too late".
John Chang, president of China Taiwanese Merchants Development Promotion Commission, pointed out that a boost to initiate the earliest possible cross-Strait direct flights will not only lower the cost dramatically, but also will stimulate the recovery of Taiwan's prosperity, and thus benefit both the authorities and merchants. The authorities' delay in starting "three exchanges" (exchange of mails, trade and air and shipping services with China's mainland) will only incur the loss of time, money and opportunities for Taiwan businessmen. Charging Taiwan merchants investing in the mainland with causing Taiwan's economic deterioration is an act of totally reversing effect and cause.
Y S Chiang, chairman of Taiwan Merchants Association of Shenzhen, said that time is the most precious thing for business. However, it takes at least five hours to go from Dongguan and Shenzhen via Hong Kong to Taiwan. He hoped the Taiwan authorities would open direct flights as soon as possible, saying that this is the aspiration of all the Taiwan businessmen who invest in the mainland.
By PD Online Staff Du Minghua
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