Chinese mainland to further open agricultural product market to Taiwan: ministry economist

The chief economist of Ministry of Agriculture said Sunday the mainland would ensure Taiwan's agricultural products to have more access to the mainland market following a series of favorable entry policies launched in recent years.

Chen Mengshan told Xinhua that the mainland would help Taiwan farmers to expand market presence in the Chinese mainland, and protect the intellectual property rights of the island's agricultual products through tightened market supervision.

The Chinese mainland has already applied the zero tariff treatment to 15 fruits, 11 vegetables and 8 aquatic products of Taiwan, and sent purchasing groups to the island in havest seasons.

Taiwan's export of agricultural products to the mainland hit 364 million U.S. dollars, 25 times larger than in 1997, Chen said.

By the end of 2009, as many as 6,100 Taiwan agricultural enterprises invested a total of 7.2 billion U.S. dollars in the mainland, reaping substantial profits, Chen said.

Chen also said the agricultural products in the mainland are complementary to local products in the Taiwan market.

"We understand and respect Taiwan's concerns over the entry of agricultural products from the mainland," Chen said.

Source: Xinhua