ETtoday:

What progress has been made in cross-Strait people-to-people exchanges and cooperation and communication in various other fields in recent years? What can be done to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on cross-Strait exchanges? In addition, we have seen that an increasing number of young people from Taiwan come to the mainland to study and work. What has been done to attract them to the mainland? Thank you.

Zhu Fenglian:

Thank you for your attention to ordinary and young people on both sides of the Strait. Indeed, cross-Strait relations are internally driven forward by non-government sectors and the youth. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, we have worked with local governments and relevant departments to earnestly implement the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping as well as the decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee, continuously expanded cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation in various fields, and enhanced the kinship and wellbeing of compatriots on both sides of the Strait, thus lending strong internal impetus to the growth of cross-Strait relations. We have summarized the following four aspects:

First, the belief that compatriots across the Strait should promote exchanges, cooperation, and development has been widely supported. The pattern for cross-Strait exchanges enjoys a solid and stable foundation. Cross-Strait interactions and exchanges in various sectors are expanding, and a wide-ranging, multi-tiered pattern for communication has been built. In 2015, China removed entry permit requirements for Taiwan residents traveling to the mainland and began issuing electronic travel passes to them, further facilitating cross-Strait communication and leading to a peak of 9.85 million trips that year. Since 2020, due to COVID-19 and political obstructions set by Taiwan's DPP authorities, online communication has become the main form of cross-Strait exchange. Nearly 1,000 exchange activities have been held both online and offline by compatriots across the Strait from all walks of life. 

Second, the policy of equal treatment has been deepened and refined to support more Taiwan compatriots to pursue, build, and achieve their dreams on the mainland. We worked with all localities and government departments to introduce a series of policies and measures that are preferential to Taiwan compatriots. We provide development opportunities for Taiwan compatriots and ensure they enjoy equal treatment, including issuing residence permits for Taiwan residents, removing work permits for Taiwan compatriots working on the mainland, expanding trials to allow more Taiwan compatriots to work in public institutions, increasing enrollment for Taiwan compatriots, ensuring their access to professional qualification examinations, social security, and free COVID-19 vaccines on the mainland, among other benefits. 

An increasing number of Taiwan compatriots now find opportunities for development on the mainland. We have built 78 bases and demonstration platforms for cross-Strait youth entrepreneurship and employment, providing services for over 220 Taiwan youth startup programs. More than 2,000 young scholars from Taiwan are teaching at universities and colleges on the mainland. About 3,000 university students from Taiwan are awarded scholarship on the mainland every year. Nearly 1,000 Taiwan compatriots have attained professional qualifications in a variety of popular sectors. About 300 Taiwan compatriots working and living on the mainland have received honorary titles, including winners of the May 1 Labor Medal, the Youth May Fourth Medal, the March 8 Red-Banner Holder, and the Five-Virtue Family at or above the prefectural level.

Third, as the integrated social and cultural development across the Strait continues to be deepened, compatriots across the Strait has shown a closer bond of kinship on the new journey in the new era. Every year, a large number of Taiwan compatriots come to the mainland to trace their ancestors' history. Cross-Strait cultural exchanges in film, television, music, art, creative design, book publishing, intangible cultural heritage, and other sectors are thriving. Excellent cultural products such as films and TV dramas from the mainland are popular among Taiwan people, especially teenagers. Every year, thousands of Taiwan artists and performers take part in radio, television, audiovisual programs, and film production on the mainland. Ethnic minorities from Taiwan also participated in the 11th National Traditional Games of Ethnic Minorities. 

Fourth, the general public and young people have become a primary force in driving cross-Strait exchanges. They have become the foundation and engine for advancing the development of relations across the Strait. An increasing number of cross-Strait exchange activities have been held for the general public and the young generation. As the largest platform focusing on people-to-people exchanges across the Strait, the Straits Forum has been held for 14 consecutive years. The Shanghai Taipei City Forum, an important platform for exchanges among cities, has been held for 13 years consecutively. A wide range of exchange activities are carried out every year, involving science and technology, education, medical care, sports, religion and belief, labor unions, and women's affairs. Every year, we carry out hundreds of summer (or winter) camps and studying camps for Taiwan youth and hold large exchange activities such as the Cross-Straits Youth Festival and the Straits Youth Forum, attracting tens of thousands of young people from Taiwan to participate. Taiwan compatriots also actively take part in volunteering activities on the mainland, including anti-poverty projects, rural vitalization, teaching assistance, free medical programs, disaster relief, and epidemic prevention and control work.

Looking forward, we will introduce more preferential policies and measures for Taiwan compatriots. We will advance integration through better connectivity and more preferential policies based on mutual trust and understanding. Efforts will be made to create favorable conditions for improving cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation, and promote mutual understating and mutual trust among compatriots across the Strait. We will work together to push forward the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and the peaceful reunification of the country. Thank you.

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