Taiwan's Boao delegate urges separation of politics, economics

ROC Central News Agency

2016/03/21 19:26:31

Taipei, March 21 (CNA) Former Vice President Vincent Siew (蕭萬長) is expected to express Taiwan's stance during the Boao Forum for Asia that kicks off Tuesday in China that economic and trade relations between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait should not be affected by political change, an executive of the Cross-Strait Common Market Foundation said Monday.

Siew will depart Wednesday for the forum in Hainan Province in southern China at the head of a 33-member Taiwanese delegation composed of business representatives and economic and trade specialists, said Chen Te-sheng (陳德昇), executive director of the foundation that is organizing the visit.

Siew will meet with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (李克強) March 24 and attend a dinner party hosted by Zhang Zhijun (張志軍), China's Taiwan affairs minister, that evening, said Chen.

Siew will be representing Taiwan in his capacity as honorary chairman of the foundation, Chen went on, noting that Siew will hold a press conference regarding his meeting with Li after the dinner party.

With less than two months before president-elect Tsai Ing-wen's (蔡英文) administration is sworn in May 20, the timing is crucial for Siew to call on the Chinese authorities to facilitate cross-strait economic and trade exchanges through a platform trusted by both sides.

The forum, which runs through March 25 on the theme of "Asia's New Future: New Dynamics and New Vision," will have Uber and Didi Dache car service providers as speakers in its newly added "Innovation and Entrepreneurship" program.

Taiwan's representatives will focus their discussion on Internet finance innovation, crowdfunding and cross-border e-commerce, said Chan Hou-sheng (詹火生), chairman of the foundation.

Five Taiwanese representatives will attend a cross-strait entrepreneurship forum March 25, including former Foreign Minister Frederick Chien (錢復) in his capacity as top advisor of the foundation, Yang Hsiao-tung (羊曉東), vice president of Pou Chen Group, and CTBC Financial Holding Co. vice chairman Steve Hsieh (薛香川).

(By Chen Chia-lun and Evelyn Kao)
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