China's top political advisor urges solid progress in cross-Strait integrated development

China's top political advisor Wang Huning has called for high-quality construction of the demonstration zone for integrated development across the Taiwan Strait and urged greater progress in advancing such integration during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030).

Wang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, made the remarks on Saturday in Xiamen, a city in southeast China's Fujian Province, at a meeting on advancing the demonstration zone's development.

He said the 15th Five-Year Plan period will bring broad opportunities and prospects for deepening cross-Strait integrated development and for promoting the development of the demonstration zone.

Wang called for supporting Fujian in exploring new mechanisms, pathways and models for cross-Strait integrated development, and for promoting higher-quality, deeper and broader integration in cross-Strait integrated development.

He stressed the need to implement the requirements of the 15th Five-Year Plan in developing the demonstration zone and to ensure high-quality development throughout the process.

Focusing on key tasks in building the demonstration zone, efforts should be made to boost policy and institutional innovation, and to let the zone take the lead in piloting new measures and generating replicable experience, Wang said.

He also called for improving policies and measures to facilitate cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation, enhancing the business environment, strengthening industrial cooperation, and expanding the benefits and sense of gain for Taiwan compatriots and Taiwan-funded enterprises.

Wang urged closer people-to-people and cultural exchanges across the strait, saying that more efforts should be made to strengthen Taiwan compatriots' sense of identification with the Chinese nation, Chinese culture and the motherland.

He also called for expanding channels for Taiwan youth to pursue development on the mainland.

On Sunday morning, Wang also conducted an inspection tour in Xiamen, reviewing work on cross-Strait integrated development, as well as the provision of more convenient and intelligent services for Taiwan compatriots, and efforts to promote exchanges and cooperation among young people from both sides of the strait.