In this file photo taken on Nov 10, 2021,
Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office, attends a press conference in Beijing. (PHOTO /XINHUA)
BEIJING – The Chinese mainland has further expanded market access for Taiwan residents, allowing them to start individually-owned businesses in 122 sectors including cereal crop farming, fruit planting, beverage manufacturing, and pet services.
Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said that the future of China's Taiwan region, as well as Taiwan compatriots' security and wellbeing, lies in the peaceful development of relations across the Taiwan Straits and national reunification, rather than "empty promises" from external forces
The move is the latest effort to help residents from Taiwan seek employment and enjoy the development opportunities on the mainland, Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, told a press conference on Wednesday.
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Taiwan residents are welcome to run businesses in 27 pilot areas for innovative development of service trade across the mainland, including Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Chongqing, Hainan, Dalian, Xiamen, Qingdao and Shenzhen, stated a guideline released by the Taiwan affairs office, the Ministry of Commerce, and the State Administration for Market Regulation.
Zhu said that the future of China's Taiwan region, as well as Taiwan compatriots' security and wellbeing, lies in the peaceful development of relations across the Taiwan Straits and national reunification, rather than "empty promises" from external forces.
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Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party authority has miscalculated the situation as it looks for US support for its independence agenda and attempts to rely on external forces' help to split China, said Zhu.
Zhu also warned that the crackdown on separatist elements advocating "Taiwan independence" will be intensified through the power of law.
She said in the 17 years since its implementation, the Anti-Secession Law has played and will continue playing a vital role in creating a strong deterrent against separatist elements seeking "Taiwan independence," safeguarding peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits, promoting peaceful development of cross-Straits relations, and advancing the process of China's reunification.
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Through joint efforts of the people on both sides of the Straits, the complete reunification of China will be and can be realized, Zhu added.