Straits Forum delivers for Taiwan's grassroots

Participants take pictures as they attend the 2026 Straits Forum in Xiamen, Fujian province, on June 13. LYU MING/CHINA NEWS SERVICE

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The deep-seated momentum of cross-Strait economic and cultural integration remains resilient — actively driven by the Chinese mainland's fusion efforts — despite political barriers imposed by Taiwan authorities, according to attendees of the 18th Straits Forum held in June in Xiamen, Fujian province.

As the largest mainland-hosted platform for grassroots exchanges between the two sides of the Strait, the annual event gathered compatriots across industries to advance diverse cooperative achievements.

The event with over 30 activities attracted over 6,000 compatriots from Taiwan, including a large number of young people and first-time visitors, despite the strictest restrictions and obstructions imposed by Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party authorities.

In a milestone development, mainland enterprises signed purchasing agreements with businesses and trade associations from Taiwan's agricultural counties, including Taitung, Yunlin and Nantou, to import specialties such as pomelos, tea and aquatic products.

This cross-Strait procurement initiative delivers tangible dividends directly to grassroots farmers and fishermen on the island.

Around 120 industry professionals witnessed the signing. Yang Chichun, vice-chairman of the Taiwan Agricultural United Marketing Cooperative, celebrated an atemoya fruit contract with Hunan province, saying that it is a joy to bring the hardworking farmers' fruits into the vast mainland market.

In April, a 10-point policy package was released by the Chinese mainland's Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, which focused on increasing cross-Strait flights, tourism, agricultural trade and other aspects vital to the welfare of the ordinary people of Taiwan.

The DPP authorities, however, have attempted to suppress exchanges, with their mainland affairs authority labeling the forum a tool for "penetration and division".

Due to blocks imposed by the DPP, Yao Ching-ling, the magistrate of Taitung county, was barred from attending in person and had to deliver her speech via a pre-recorded video during the signing ceremony.

Chang Jung-kung, vice-chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang, called the ban on local magistrates attending the forum a great regret, noting that agricultural cooperation is the most pragmatic way to enhance the livelihoods of Taiwan residents.

"Taiwan farmers and fishermen market their products to the mainland simply to make a living. To smear and suppress them for this is absolutely against justice," Chang said.

Recent reports from Taiwan media revealed that peanut harvest prices in Yunlin county — the island's largest peanut-producing region — have plummeted, possibly due to widespread panic among local growers over potential zero-tariff peanut imports from the United States under recent trade frameworks.

Chen Binhua, spokesman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said: "The DPP authorities disregarded the farmers' anxieties, made nothing more than a perfunctory effort, showing that the DPP is completely helpless. This fully exposes their governance incompetence and proves that blindly kneeling to the US will only harm the interests of Taiwan's various sectors."

Chen added that the new agreements with the mainland would allow agricultural products from relevant Taiwan counties to enter the mainland market more conveniently, boosting incomes for farmers in central and southern Taiwan.

"The DPP authorities act out of political self-interest, jumping out to smear and attack the forum every year, and this year they went even further to restrict and obstruct participants," Chen said. "But the more they disrupt, the more they fail."

Song Tao, director of the Taiwan Affairs Office, reiterated at the forum that peace, stability and the welfare of Taiwan compatriots can only be guaranteed by adhering to the 1992 Consensus and opposing "Taiwan independence" separatism.

Business and industrial leaders attending the forum urged Taiwan enterprises to actively leverage existing preferential policies and look toward more cooperation.

Lee Cheng-hung, president of the Association of Taiwan Investment Enterprises on the Mainland, said:"The DPP authorities are highly contradictory; they claim to value public livelihood but impose highly irrational and self-contradictory restrictions."

Lee said that growing cross-Strait trade shows the two sides are "stronger together", urging entrepreneurs to expand into emerging industries on the mainland, including semiconductors, the low-altitude economy and artificial intelligence.

Chou Hsi-wei, vice-chairman of the Want Want Group from Taiwan, also said that the desire of compatriots on both sides for peace and integration cannot be stopped.

"Obstructing freedom of assembly and trade violates basic rights and is completely wrong, and 'Taiwan independence' is a dead end," Chou said.