The Eighth Common Homeland Forum Opens in Pingtan
"The feeling that compatriots from both sides of the Taiwan Straits are of one family experienced on the scene is more intense than I thought before," said Wang Changyong. The village heads invited him to visit Taiwan, and in turn he also invited them to participate in the hundred-family thousand-people reunion banquet in Caobing Village this August.
Heartwarming scenes like that were actually not uncommon at the 8th Cross-Strait Common Homeland Forum held in the Pingtan Comprehensive Pilot Zone, Fujian on June 17. As an important parallel session of the Straits Forum, the Common Homeland Forum themed "Integration and Development, Mutual Benefit and Win-win Result" stayed focused on exchange of grass-roots governance experience, economic and trade exchanges and others, attracting more than 900 guests from all walks of life and grass-roots representatives on both sides of the Taiwan Straits.
The Pingtan Comprehensive Pilot Zone was initially established, with the intention of building a "common homeland for compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits." Also, it was proposed to create a new "special administrative region for cross-strait cooperation and institutional construction" and to explore a new model of "co-governance" across the strait.
Feeling the enthusiasm of the local government and people of Pingtan, an increasing number of Taiwan compatriots have begun to visit Pingtan or develop cooperation there in recent years. In 2018, the number of Taiwan compatriots coming to Pingtan for visits and exchanges reached 15,000.
On the eve of the forum, Pingtan announced 36 concrete measures that aim to advance the integration and development of both sides of the Taiwan Straits, including allowing Taiwan compatriots and enterprises to get more equal treatment and convenience in terms of lodging, transportation, financial services, employment and schooling and other areas in Pingtan.
As a matter of fact, Pingtan has seen quite a few successful cases of cooperation in cross-strait grass-roots governance for the past few years. At the end of 2016, village heads and young people from Taiwan were introduced to Shanglou Village, Lancheng Township as consultants. In addition to drawing on the community volunteer culture from Taiwan, the village has also learned many experiences and practices in security patrol, medical care, eco-environment protection and other areas provided in Taiwan's communities.
As a Community Planning Consultant for Shanglou Village, the young Taiwanese Chen Xinhao now comes to the village once a week or once every two weeks, on average. "Every time I come back, my neighbors will always say, 'you are back again.' At the beginning, for me, coming here each time was just like a "business trip," but now it feels like 'coming back home.' In my view, the creation of a common homeland is just a natural thing," said he with a smile.
As with the "front-line personnel at the grass-roots level," the "young generation" is also the focus of Pingtan's Taiwan-oriented affairs. In recent years, many Taiwanese youths like Chen Xinhao have come to Pingtan, who enthusiastically share the development ideas of Taiwan with the local people. While bringing great changes to many villages in Pingtan, they have also been part of these villages.
In 2016, Pingtan positioned Beigang Village as a "Cultural Creativity Village" by introducing Taiwanese cultural and creative teams and cultural elements. Nowadays, the stone-walled folk dwellings in Beigang Village blend the "ancient" charm with the "rhyme" of cultural creativity, taking on a new look. In 2018, the per capita tourism revenue of Beigang Village, which is dominated by the traditional maritime and fishing industries, increased by more than 8,000 yuan.
Li Zhenghong, President of the Association of Taiwan Investment Enterprises in the Mainland, said at the forum that Pingtan leads the pack in the country in implementing policies that are conducive to the development of Taiwanese enterprises. "I hope more and more Taiwanese business friends can pay attention to and understand Pingtan, actively participating in the future development of Pingtan and fueling the integration and development of Pingtan and Taiwan for mutual benefit and win-win results."
"Pingtan has done a good job, but this is still not enough compared with the enthusiasm of Taiwanese people to participate in co-building a common homeland," added Chen Xinhao, with a smile, to the reporter when he was leaving Pingtan. "I hope there will be more policies, more unimpeded mechanisms and fewer obstacles, and we will also work harder."
