Chinese mainland to create better conditions for Taiwan businesses, says official

The Chinese mainland will continue to create better conditions for Taiwan businesses to develop on the mainland, an official said on Saturday at a seminar on cross-Straits relations.

Qiu Kaiming, vice director of the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said that General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Xi Jinping's speeches on Taiwan work have provided direction for the development of cross-Straits relations.

"We will fully implement the spirit of the speeches through continuing to improve the systems and policies that benefit Taiwan compatriots, and create better conditions for Taiwan compatriots and businesses to develop on the mainland," Qiu said at the seminar on Saturday in the coastal city of Qingdao, Shandong Province. Over 140 experts and scholars from both sides of the Taiwan Straits gathered to exchange views.

Qiu emphasized that China's sovereignty and territorial integrity have never been divided, the fact that the mainland and Taiwan both belong to one China has never changed, and the steps towards national reunification by compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits have never stopped.

Zeng Zanrong, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Shandong Provincial Committee and secretary of the CPC Qingdao Municipal Committee, said Shandong has deep historical connections with Taiwan and has achieved fruitful results through close cooperation in various fields, including economy, technology and culture.

"With further reform as the driving force, we will continue to deepen integrative development in various fields between Shandong and Taiwan, and contribute to the peaceful and integrated development of cross-Straits relations," Zeng said.

The two-day seminar includes keynote speeches and group discussions focusing on the fallacies and harm of the conception of history of "Taiwan independence" separatists.

The seminar is hosted by the Cross-Straits Relations Research Center and organized by the Shandong Province Cross-Straits Economic and Cultural Development Promotion Association.