Exchanges benefit cross-Strait relations: China Daily editorial

Representatives from the Communist Party of China and the Chinese Kuomintang party, along with those from the tourism, industrial, technological, medical and environmental sectors on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, as well as experts and scholars, are attending a forum in Beijing on Tuesday, according to the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council.

The event, co-hosted by research institutes affiliated with the two parties, provides an important platform for discussing the development of cross-Strait relations and seeking the welfare and benefits of people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

Participants will engage in in-depth discussions, focusing on sustainable cooperation in areas related to people's livelihoods on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, such as tourism, technology, healthcare and environmental cooperation. They will exchange views on how to strengthen collaboration and jointly explore major plans for the development of cross-Strait relations.

Given the restrictions on cross-Strait exchanges imposed by the Democratic Progressive Party authorities on the island in recent years, the forum, which revives a mechanism that has been dormant for nearly 10 years, carries practical significance.

Catering to the needs of Chinese people on both sides of the Strait for communication and exchanges, discussions on tourism recovery, ecological conservation, smart healthcare and green technology are a practical means to rebuild "capillary-like" connections and breathe fresh life into cross-Strait exchanges.

Peace can be rooted in everyday interactions; trust can be forged through daily cooperation. These exchanges therefore act as "safety valves" to offset the increasing blockade from the DPP authorities and as "seed projects" for pragmatic cooperation.

The forum therefore has practical importance as it can help expand mutual understanding and anchor collaboration in areas of mutual interest despite the strained cross-Strait relations caused by the DPP's reckless moves in seeking "Taiwan independence".

Over the years, the CPC and the KMT, based on the common political foundation of upholding the 1992 Consensus and opposing "Taiwan independence", have achieved positive results in promoting cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation, safeguarding peace and stability, and enhancing the affinity and well-being of people across the Strait.

It is expected that the KMT can play a bigger role in promoting cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation contributing to the stability of the cross-Strait situation.

Therefore, the joint think tank forum is not only a pragmatic discussion platform but also a reminder that the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait share the same roots and origins, and both belong to one Chinese family. A reality that no separatist forces can change.

The forum comes at a critical juncture: The secessionist-minded DPP is leading the Chinese island down the dangerous road of "Taiwan independence" emboldened by external support.

By responding to the demands of people in Taiwan that there needs to be communication between the two sides of the Strait, the forum presents an outlook on the future of cross-Strait relations that is different from the DPP's dooms-end scenario. It is a future of peace and integrated development that is in the interests of people on both sides of the Strait.