KMT officials to attend business forums in China

Taipei, Aug. 28 (CNA) Two senior officials from Taiwan's main opposition Kuomintang (KMT), are set to attend three business forums in China to foster economic and cultural exchanges between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, the party Wednesday.

In a statement, the KMT said Vice Chairman Andrew Hsia (夏立言) will lead a delegation to the 19th edition of a Taiwan-Jiangxi business forum in Lushan, Jiangxi Province, central China.

The forum on Thursday and Friday will be focused on economic and cultural cooperation and exchanges, according to the KMT.

The two-day event will also feature participation from business leaders representing Taiwan's Chinese National Federation of Industries, the General Chamber of Commerce of the Republic of China, and the Council for Industrial and Commercial Development, the KMT noted.

Following this, Hsia will travel to Guiyang, Guizhou Province, southwestern China to attend another forum on economic cooperation from September 2-3.

Meanwhile, KMT Secretary General Justin Huang (黃健庭) will participate in a separate forum in Weifang, Shandong Province in eastern China, from Sept. 1-2, the party said.

These forums are significant events for businesses in Taiwan and China, the KMT said, because such events encourage private sector exchanges and help de-escalate the heightened tensions across the Taiwan Strait.

During their visits, KMT officials also plan to meet with Taiwanese people living in China to address issues they may face in running businesses, working, or studying, the KMT added.

At the KMT's weekly Central Standing Committee meeting in Taipei on Wednesday, party Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) reaffirmed the opposition party's commitment to participating in these events, which he said were critical for Taiwanese businesses.

He argued that these occasions offer valuable opportunities to facilitate dialogue and promote exchanges across the Strait, despite harsh criticism from Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

Chu described what he called the DPP's strategy of relying on the United States and confronting China for political gain as "irresponsible," saying it would not garner approval from the international community.

Citing recent conflicts surrounding Taiwan's Kinmen Islands near the Chinese coast -- including the return of a former Kinmen-based Army officer in early August after being detained in China since mid-March -- Chu noted that these issues had been resolved through dialogue.

The KMT, Chu asserted, will continue to act in the best interests of the Taiwanese people.

Chu also mentioned that the KMT, which holds the largest number of seats in the 113-seat Legislature, will carefully scrutinize the record central government budget proposed by the executive branch. The budget that includes NT$3.13 trillion (US$97.92 billion) in spending will be sent to the upcoming legislative session in September.