Premier Wen calls for normalization of cross-Straits economic relations 国务院总理温家宝3月5日在十一届全国人大二次会议上作政府工作报告时说，新的一年里，我们要继续坚持发展两岸关系、促进祖国和平统一的大政方针，牢牢把握两岸关系和平发展的主题，积极构建两岸关系和平发展框架，努力开创两岸关系和平发展新局面。 温家宝说，过去的一年，对台工作取得重要进展，台湾局势发生积极变化，两岸关系取得重大突破。两岸协商在"九二共识"基础上得到恢复，全面直接双向"三通" 已经实现。两岸同胞往来更频繁、经济联系更密切、文化交流更活跃、共同利益更广泛，两岸关系开始步入和平发展轨道。 温家宝说，我们要继续全面加强两岸经济合作，共同应对金融危机。积极推进两岸金融合作，支持在大陆的台资企业发展，对符合条件的提供融资服务，鼓励企业自主创新和转型升级。加强两岸双向投资和产业合作，拓展和深化农业合作。支持海峡西岸和其他台商投资相对集中地区的经济发展。加快推进两岸经济关系正常化，推动签定综合性经济合作协议，逐步建立具有两岸特色的经济合作机制。要加强两岸人员往来，扩大社会各界交流，大力弘扬中华文化，巩固两岸精神纽带。要在一个中国原则的基础上，努力增强两岸双方政治互信。在此基础上，我们愿意通过协商对台湾参与国际组织活动问题作出合情合理安排，探讨两岸政治、军事问题，为结束敌对状态、达成和平协议创造条件。 The Chinese mainland will continue to strengthen cross-Straits economic cooperation with Taiwan to jointly respond to the global financial crisis, Premier Wen Jiabao said here Thursday morning. Addressing nearly 3,000 lawmakers at the Second Session of the 11th National People’s Congress, Wen said in his government work report the mainland would actively promote financial cooperation across the Taiwan Straits, and support the development of Taiwan-funded enterprises on the mainland. "We will accelerate normalization of cross-Straits economic relations and facilitate the signing of a comprehensive agreement on economic cooperation, and gradually establish economic cooperation mechanisms tailored to both sides of the Straits," he said. His words underscored warming ties across the Taiwan Straits over the past year, which saw the realization of direct post service as well as direct maritime and air links across the Taiwan Straits. The premier pledged to strengthen industrial and agricultural cooperation between both sides, and support economic development on the west coast of the Taiwan Straits, including Fujian and other provinces, where Taiwan investment is concentrated. Acknowledging major breakthroughs in cross-Straits relations in 2008, Wen said the mainland would remain committed to the goal of peaceful development of cross-Straits relations. "Cross-Straits relations have embarked on the track of peaceful development (in 2008)," Wen said. The mainland was ready to make fair and reasonable arrangements through consultation on the issue of Taiwan’s participation in the activities of international organizations on the basis of the One China principle, he said. "We are also ready to hold talks on cross-Straits political and military issues and create conditions for ending the state of hostility and concluding a peace agreement between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits," he said. Kennedy Wong, a Hong Kong lawyer and chairman of the Hong Kong Taiwan Youth Exchange Promotion Association, agreed that warming ties between the mainland and Taiwan had paved the way for cross-strait cooperation to tackle economic woes. "The global financial crisis exposed the weaknesses of Taiwan’s over-reliance on the European countries, the United States and Japan," said Wong, who is here to attend the annual session of the 11th National Committee of Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the nation’s top political advisory body. "It is very hard for Taiwan to wade through the financial crisis on its own. The island has to turn to the vast market on the mainland to ensure future economic development," Wong said, urging for a comprehensive economic cooperation agreement between the sides. Wong’s voice was echoed by Sze Cheung-pang, vice chairman of the Committee for Liaison with Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and Overseas Chinese of the CPPCC National Committee. "People in Taiwan can see that the Chinese mainland managed to retain a stable economy despite the financial crisis," he said. "Taiwan is not strong enough to stand the financial storm alone. But the situation would be much more optimistic if the island join hands with the Chinese mainland. We should have full confidence in that," he said. The mainland’s policies to boost growth, expand domestic demand and ease credit supply would have positive effects on Taiwan-funded enterprises on the mainland, he said. Both sides should strengthen financial cooperation by sharing financial information, setting up relevant agencies on the other side of the Straits, he said.