The agricultural exchanges and cooperation between Chinese mainland and Taiwan have entered a rapid development period, and have initially formed a wide-range, multi-level and comprehensive win-win cooperation and development pattern, Chen Mengshan, chief economic director of the Ministry of Agriculture, said February 28. He added that Chinese mainland will further open up its market to Taiwan's agricultural products in the light of the actual needs of Taiwan's agricultural producers.

Chen said that incomplete statistics show that over 6,100 Taiwan-based agricultural enterprises invested a total of 7.2 billion U.S. dollars in Chinese mainland by the end of 2009, and have generally achieved remarkable returns. Meanwhile, the development of pilot cross-Strait agricultural cooperation zones and Taiwan farmer-focused pioneer parks has accomplished significant results. To date, Chinese mainland has launched the pilot cross-Strait agricultural cooperation zones and Taiwan farmer-focused pioneer parks in 16 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions. Presently, over 5,000 Taiwan-based agricultural enterprises are operating businesses in the zones and parks, with investments totaling 5.8 billion U.S. dollars.

Chen added that cross-Strait agricultural trade has seen rapid development over recent years because the agricultural products of the 2 sides are highly complementary and unlikely to compete in terms of product categories. Chinese mainland enjoys a comparative advantage in temperate fruits, vegetables and relevant goods, as well as staple grains, while Taiwan focuses on tropical fruits and vegetables.

Data from Taiwan shows that Chinese mainland including Hong Kong became the largest export market for Taiwan's agricultural products in 2007. The value of Taiwan's agricultural exports to Chinese mainland has gradually increased from 14.56 million U.S. dollars in 1997 to 364 million U.S. dollars in 2009, an increase of almost 25 times.

Chen said that Taiwan's agricultural products enjoy many favorable conditions to enter the Chinese mainland market, while Chinese mainland's agricultural products face some limitations to access the Taiwan market. In view of Taiwan's current economic situation and its sensitivity to agricultural products, Chinese mainland fully understands and respects Taiwan compatriots' concerns over the entry of Chinese mainland's agricultural products into Taiwan's market.