Tang Wei
Vice Chairman of the CXMEE Organizing Committee and Director of the Department of Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao, the Ministry of Commerce
Since its inauguration 12 years ago, the China Xiamen Machinery and Electronics Exhibition (CXMEE) has been dedicated to its mission of “facilitating economic and trade exchanges and promoting common development across the Taiwan Straits”. By keeping abreast of the times and constantly improving its standard, CXMEE has become a major platform for transaction, exchange, mutual facilitation and common development of the machinery and electronics industries across the Taiwan Straits. It has been playing an important role in facilitating economic and trade exchange, strengthening the bond, and promoting common prosperity across the Taiwan Straits. In retrospect, CXMEE’s remarkable accomplishments over the past 12 years are largely attributable to the concerted efforts of people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits, and in particular, the vigorous efforts of the industrial and commercial communities across the Taiwan Straits to constantly expand and deepen economic and trade exchange and collaboration.
In 2008, despite the adverse impact of the international financial crisis, trade between mainland China and Taiwan reached USD 129.22 billion, with a surplus of USD 77.8 billion for Taiwan. As of February 2009, more than 77,000 Taiwanese-funded enterprises have been set up in mainland China, involving a direct Taiwanese investment of USD 47.88 billion. At present, mainland China is Taiwan’s largest trade partner, export market, source of trade surplus, and offshore investment destination. Since the historic opening of direct postal, commercial, air and shipping links across the Taiwan Straits last year, economic and trade exchange across the Taiwan Straits has been advancing, and cross-straits relations have entered into a fresh historic phase characterized by “exchange, cooperation and development across the board”.
In the midst of the positive developments in relations cross the Taiwan Straits, the 13th CXMEE will further expand its scale and stage four exhibitions and multiple forums simultaneously. It will provide a broader platform for the industrial and commercial communities across the Taiwan Straits to collaborate, interact and bond with each other and create favorable conditions for both sides to strengthen cooperation, jointly cope with the international financial crisis, and secure win-win results. It’s important that we seize this opportunity to advance the economic and trade relations across the Taiwan Straits.
I wish the 13th CXMEE a great success.