At the closing ceremony of the Boao Cross-Strait Agricultural Cooperation Forum on October 17, Chen Yunlin, Director of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, stated the preferential package which consists 20 detailed measures to promote cross-strait agricultural cooperation with the goal of benefiting Taiwan farmers.
The policies are divided into the following four major parts:
-- The mainland welcomes Taiwan investors, farmers and agricultural organizations to participate in the cross-strait agricultural cooperation pilot zone construction and development. Taiwan investors will enjoy simplified approval and registration procedures, tax incentives, government financial support and favorable land use if they set up their agricultural business on the mainland.
-- The mainland encourages and supports cross-strait agricultural technology cooperation and promotes all kinds of farmers' associations in Taiwan to take part in agricultural products exhibition. "Green Corridors" to facilitate quality control will be set up for the convenience of Taiwan farmers. Shantou City of Guangdong Province will be a new port for aquaculture products from Taiwan. Veterinary medicines have the priority to be approved and registered and can be sold in the mainland by setting up sales institutions and agencies. A special column on the website of a local business administrative department will be devoted to providing guidelines on investing in agriculture in the mainland to Taiwan investors.
-- The mainland will optimize its services so as to help trade of cross-strait agricultural products. Relevant administrative departments will shorten the time for quality control procedures for seeds from Taiwan. The introduction of plants that are on the brink of extinction in the mainland is encouraged and relevant departments can directly issue relative permits to save time.
-- The Intellectual Property rights of Taiwan agricultural products will be protected effectively and mainland authorities will crack down on mislabeled Taiwan fruits, piracy and counterfeiting. Strict punishment will be imposed on those who infringe upon Taiwan agricultural products.
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