00:00An annual cross-strait forum in Xiamen has wrapped up.
00:04Beijing hails the event as an opportunity for exchanges between Taiwan and China,
00:10while Taipei criticizes it as a platform for Beijing's efforts to influence Taiwan,
00:15with the ultimate goal of taking control of it.
00:18This year, Taipei banned government officials of any level from participating.
00:23But still, at least one did show up, virtually.
00:27The county magistrate of Taitung in eastern Taiwan, in a video recording played at the forum,
00:34reportedly expressed support for agreements signed there
00:37for Chinese businesses to buy certain kinds of Taiwanese agricultural and fishery products.
00:42It's unclear whether this violated Taipei's ban.
00:46Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council declined to comment.
00:49Attending in person was a legislator from Taiwan's outlying islands of Jinmen,
00:54which lie just a few kilometers off China's southeast coast.
00:58She hoped to push for more benefits for Jinmen.
01:01We hope that the world has more access to Jinmen to visit.
01:04The second one, we hope to build a platform of Jinmen and Xiamen market share between Jinmen and Xiamen products.
01:09The third one, we hope that the products of Jinmen in the mainland can be able to save money or
01:17save money.
01:18Also, Zhang Ronggong, the vice chair of Taiwan's main opposition party, the Kuomintang,
01:23met with the top Chinese Communist Party official, Wang Hunning.
01:27He said both sides of the straight have a shared identity
01:30and emphasized the importance of cross-strait exchanges.
01:33He also spoke on the nature of cross-strait relations.
01:47The comments drew criticism from Taipei.
01:50The Mainland Affairs Council expressing, quote,
01:52deep regret that Taiwanese opposition figures continue to echo Chinese Communist Party narratives,
01:58saying this only weakens Taiwan's democracy and sends the wrong message
02:02that Taiwan accepts China's political preconditions.
02:05Taiwan's ruling and opposition parties disagree on how to approach relations with China.
02:11Beijing refuses to talk to Taiwan's central government,
02:14while the KMT has warmer ties with Beijing.
02:18The party's chair met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in April.
02:22Taiwanese and Chinese businesses also reportedly signed agreements at the forum
02:26on buying agriculture products from Taiwan,
02:29which Chinese state media says is an effort to implement policy measures
02:33Beijing announced in April to deepen cross-strait ties,
02:37but that some warned Beijing could use as a political tool.
02:54A popular Chinese actor also attended,
02:57which analysts suggest is part of China's soft power efforts to attract Taiwanese fans.
03:02And the legislator who attended announced Monday she had invited him to visit Taiwan.
03:08Ryan Wu and Cadence Quaranta for Taiwan Plus.
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