Pingtan: “One Island, Two Standards” to build a livable and pleasurable homeland

Compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are blood brothers who share a common destiny and are a family whose blood is thicker than water. We uphold the conviction that “people on both sides of the strait belong to one and the same family”, respect Taiwan’s existing social system and Taiwanese compatriots’ lifestyles, and are willing to take the initiative in sharing opportunities for development within the mainland with them, and the report delivered during the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) did much to touch everyone’s hearts.

The prospect of economic reform to welcome in-depth cross-strait integration can be felt everywhere in the Pingtan Comprehensive Pilot Zone. The Taiwan Pioneer Park in Jinjingwan has attracted many cross-strait enterprises to settle there, a gathering place for people on the both sides of the Taiwan Strait in terms of innovation and entrepreneurship. At Ao’qian, the “Cross Strait Ferry” (CSF) and “Lina Liner” crisscross the Taiwan Strait to build a “one-day life circle”, and at Liushui, Beigang Village has become a great, new cultural label, where Pingtan features and Taiwanese elements blend together into something new.

 “Pingtan is a hotbed for entrepreneurship and is also a very blessed place. Since we settled in Pingtan, our company has grown rapidly and earned more than 20 million yuan in sales this year alone,” said Chen Mengbang, General Manager of CR Technology (Pingtan) Co. Ltd. in the Taiwan Pioneer Park in Pingtan on the 7th of this past month. According to him, Pingtan has been graced with a strong entrepreneurial atmosphere that not only grants a start-up allowance, but also offers rewards and subsidy policies for Taiwanese talents. Rent and wage subsidies are also offered in the park, and a series of policy dividends give Chen full confidence in continued entrepreneurship in Pingtan.

In the context of the “mass entrepreneurship and innovation” initiative implemented on the Chinese mainland, an increasing number of Taiwanese entrepreneurial youth are targeting the Chinese mainland market. Pingtan focuses on a perfect combination of “platform + service” and consolidates its fertile ground for entrepreneurship and innovation, allowing mass entrepreneurship and innovation to be common practice among young groups on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

The cross-strait pioneering base, which takes Taiwan Town in Ao’qian, Taiwan Pioneer Park, and Cultural Creativity Village in Beigang as its carrier, has been included in provincial-level key platforms in the Pingtan Area of the Fujian Pilot Free Trade Zone, attracting more and more cross-strait young “makers” to settle in.

Pingtan absorbs talents through its “bring-in” strategy while learning experience through its “going global” strategy to promote the blending of social management in both Pingtan and Taiwan. This year, the heads of 144 village committees (communities) in the pilot area went to Taiwan for study, training, and exchange in batches and learned about experience in village building there. Pingtan is moreover persistent in its efforts to promote two-way exchanges between grassroots people and entities in Pingtan and Taiwan, and up to now, Pingtan has established contacts with 42 villages in Taiwan, signed 58 cooperation and exchange agreements, and hired two pairs of honorary village heads for and from each other. Cross-strait folk interaction and exchange continue to be in high spirits.

As a pilot zone and experimental field on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, how can Pingtan take a bolder approach in the promotion of comprehensive cross-strait economic connection, deep cultural exchange, and integrated social development?

Since last year, Pingtan has proposed innovative development ideas such as “one island & tow standards, inclusive coexistence, integrated development, and winning on both sides of the Taiwan Strait”. In the process of exploring the deep, integrated development of the two sides in terms of economic, social, and cultural aspects, namely regarding management, standards from both mainland China and Taiwan coexist in Pingtan, and this enables mutual recognition and interconnection, gradually achieving integrated development and a true win-win situation.

This means that Pingtan has fully played its role in favoring Taiwan by implementing more flexible, open, and inclusive policies for Taiwan. To this end, Pingtan has taken a bold, innovative approach, acted as the first mover in the construction, healthcare, judicial, and education sectors, and promoted open employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for Taiwanese compatriots.

 “We will be expanding economic and cultural exchanges and cooperation across the Taiwan Strait to realize mutually beneficial situations and gradually provide our Taiwanese compatriots with the same benefits as their brothers and sisters on the Chinese mainland regarding study, entrepreneurship, employment, and life, all with the goal of enhancing the well-being of our Taiwanese friends,” said a responsible member within the Pingtan Comprehensive Pilot Zone Management Committee.