Press Conference on the Thirteenth Shandong-Taiwan Economic and Trade Talks

At 9.30 on the morning of Sept 5, 2007, Nanjiao Hotel

Huang Zecun,Director of the Foreign Publicity Office of the Provincial Party Committee and of the Information Office of Shandong Provincial Government

Huang Zecun:Good morning, friends from the media, ladies and gentleman.

The Thirteenth Shandong-Taiwan Economic and Trade Talks, an important economic and trade event organized by the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council and the Provincial Government, will be held from 19 to 21 September at Weifang City, Shandong Province.

Huang Zecun:Today, we hold a Provincial Government press conference and invite Mr. Zhang Zhiqiang, deputy director of the Provincial Taiwan Affairs Office, Mr. Xu Zhenxi, member of the Standing Committee of Weifang Municipal Party Committee and deputy mayor, Mr. Zhu Zhiming, deputy director of the Provincial Development and Reform Commission and director of the Service Industry Office, Mr. Song Geping, vice president of the Provincial Council for the Promotion of International Trade, and Mr. Liu Shuliang ,director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of Weifang City, to give briefings on the relevant affairs and answer journalists’ questions.

Huang Zecun:Present at today`s conference are journalists from the central media, Hong Kong media based in Shandong, the provincial-level media, and the media in Jinan and Weifang.

Huang Zecun:First of all, we have Mr. Zhang Zhiqiang, deputy director of the Provincial Taiwan Affairs Office, give a briefing on Shandong-Taiwan relations and the Thirteenth Shandong-Taiwan Economic and Trade Talks. 

Zhang Zhiqiang:Good morning, friends from the media, ladies and gentleman.

Zhang Zhiqiang:I will give you a briefing on the Shandong-Taiwan economic and trade cooperation and the Thirteenth Shandong-Taiwan Economic and Trade Talks.

Zhang Zhiqiang:By the end of July this year, there have been 1.42 million Taiwanese visiting Shandong and nearly 10,000 people from our province visiting Taiwan on invitation.

Zhang Zhiqiang:There are 7,196 Taiwan-funded projects approved in the province, $19 billion contractual Taiwan investments, and $11.4 billion Taiwan investment actually utilized.

Zhang Zhiqiang:More than 4,400 Taiwan-funded enterprises have been put into operation.

Zhang Zhiqiang:Taiwan investment is the third largest source of foreign investment, after South Korea, and Hong Kong.

Zhang Zhiqiang:Shandong has gradually become the new centre for Taiwan businessmen`s investment in the mainland.

Zhang Zhiqiang:It is just under this general trend that Shandong-Taiwan Economic and Trade Talks have developed.

Zhang Zhiqiang:Since 1994, the Shandong-Taiwan Economic and Trade Talks have been successfully held twelve times.

Zhang Zhiqiang:There were altogether more than 16,000 Taiwan and foreign businessmen attending the twelve sessions, signing 1,715contracts and agreements, with a contractual and agreement investment of $13.9 billion.

Zhang Zhiqiang:We hope that this year`s Shandong-Taiwan Economic and Trade Talks will bring more business opportunities to the Taiwan industrial and commercial circles and propel the Shandong-Taiwan economic and technological exchange and cooperation to a new level.

Zhang Zhiqiang:Thank you!

Huang Zecun:Next, we have Mr. Xu Zhenxi, member of the Standing Committee of Weifang Municipal Party Committee and deputy mayor, give a briefing on the preparations for the Thirteenth Shandong-Taiwan Economic and Trade Talks.

Xu Zhenxi:Good morning, friends from the media, ladies and gentleman.

Xu Zhenxi:The following are the major activities of this year`s Economic and Trade Talks. The first is the opening ceremony of the Thirteenth Shandong-Taiwan Economic and Trade Talks and the Fourth General Assembly of Taiwan Businessmen, to which some state leaders and high-ranking Taiwan personages will be invited, to win popularity, to widen the talks’ influence and to create a strong atmosphere of the talks. The second is the 2007 cross-strait manufacturing exposition.

Xu Zhenxi:Well-known business groups in the island and important Taiwan businessmen’s associations in the mainland will be invited to participate in the exposition and dominant enterprises in Shandong Province will also be invited to the exposition, so as to promote trade by means of the exposition and promote cooperation by means of trade.

Xu Zhenxi:The third is the seminar on the cooperation between the service industries on the two sides of the Straits and the counterpart talks. Centering on the two major themes of trade and logistics industry, the service industry elite on the two sides of the Straits will be invited to the seminar and talks for discussion and communication, to increase the speed and strength, with which to introduce Taiwan service industry, and to promote the prosperity and development of modern service industry.

Xu Zhenxi:The fourth is the investment promotion conference for Taiwan gardens in Shandong Province. At the conference, the investment policies for the Taiwan gardens in Shandong Province, environment for development and areas of cooperation will be comprehensively introduced, so as to promote Taiwan investment in the gardens.

Xu Zhenxi:The fifth is the third talks on cross-strait personnel and technological exchange. Investment attraction will be combined with personnel introduction, with emphasis on the introduction of advanced technologies and managerial experience in Taiwan area, to provide intellectual support for the rapid and favorable economic development.

Xu Zhenxi:The sixth is the cross-strait accountants` (integrity) summit forum, to which financial celebrities on the two sides of the Straits will be invited for exchange and discussion, to jointly construct the integrity-based central values system in the accounting profession.

Xu Zhenxi:The seventh is one hundred travel agencies` visit to Weifang. One hundred travel agencies both at home and abroad will be invited to make an investigatory tour, and tourist items, tourist products and tourist resources and tourist routes will be recommended to them, to nurture and expand the tourist industry.

Xu Zhenxi:The eighth is the cross-strait comprehensive entertainment evening party at the City of Kites. Well-known actors both at home and abroad will be invited to give performances and join hands to offer a cultural feast to the guests and the people of the city.

Xu Zhenxi:The ninth is the publication of the book Review of the Highlight Shandong-Taiwan Economic and Trade Talks. The tenth is the series of expositions with special themes.

Xu Zhenxi:During the Thirteenth Shandong-Taiwan Economic and Trade Talks, such special expositions will be held as the nursery stock exposition, the flower exposition, the furniture exposition, and the precious stone culture exposition.

Xu Zhenxi:This year`s talks have aroused the interest of people both at home and abroad, particularly the Taiwan industrial and commercial circles.

Xu Zhenxi:Up to now it has been confirmed that 1,031 businessmen will attend the talks, including 474 Taiwan businessmen. It is expected that more than 1,000 Taiwan businessmen will attend the talks.

Xu Zhenxi:Thank you!

Huang Zecun:Today`s press conference is over. Thank you!