Ex-Taiwan premier highlights industrial cooperation at cross-strait summit

Nanjing, Dec. 16 (CNA) Former Taiwan Premier Liu Chao-shiuan (劉兆玄) on Tuesday highlighted opportunities for deeper cross-strait industrial cooperation at the 2025 Cross-Strait CEO Summit (CSCS) in Nanjing.

Speaking at the summit, Liu, co-president of CSCS, said that industries in Taiwan and China are facing new challenges and opportunities amid shifting global and regional conditions.

As China prepares to roll out its next five-year plan covering 2026 to 2030, CSCS would adopt new thinking and pursue broader and higher-level cooperation, Liu said.

China's recently published five-year plan serves as a national blueprint outlining the country's key economic, industrial and social development priorities for the period.

Liu said the CSCS plans to visit Chinese battery maker Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. (CATL) in Fujian Province recently to cooperate on energy storage and battery recycling.

There will also be discussions to set up a "zero-carbon park" in Fujian, bringing together Taiwanese and Chinese firms to promote green industry, Liu added.

He highlighted Taiwan's experience in multinational supply chains and encouraged joint efforts to build smart manufacturing ecosystems and strengthen industrial cooperation.

In his opening remarks at the summit, Wang Huning (王滬寧), a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Standing Committee member, praised China's economic resilience, saying that the 15th Five-Year Plan provides top-level design and strategic planning, and will inject new momentum into cross-strait economic cooperation and shared development.

Wang also reaffirmed the "1992 Consensus," opposed Taiwan independence, and emphasized support for Taiwanese businesses and cross-strait economic integration.

The "1992 consensus" refers to a tacit understanding reached in 1992 between the then KMT government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the Chinese government. It has been consistently interpreted by the KMT as an acknowledgment by both sides that there is only "one China," with each side free to interpret what "China" means.

The independence-leaning ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has never acknowledged the "1992 consensus," arguing that Beijing allows no room for the interpretation of "China" as the Republic of China, and that acceptance of the consensus implies agreement with China's claim over Taiwan.

Liu and Wang met in a brief media session before the summit, during which the former Taiwan premier underscored the strategic significance of China's 15th Five-Year Plan, saying it would have a major impact on global economic growth and cross-strait trade.

The CSCS will closely track key policy priorities under the plan, including technological self-reliance, efforts to strengthen China's domestic market, the promotion of a comprehensive green transition and continued cross-strait industrial cooperation, Liu said.

Established in 2013, the annual Cross-Strait CEO Summit is currently the highest-level platform for entrepreneurs from China and Taiwan to engage with each other.

Taiwan and China used to take turns hosting the summit, but since 2022 it has been held in the Chinese cites of Nanjing and Xiamen.