Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai: Government-to-Government Negotiation Essential for China's Taiwan Measures

Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai commented today on the 10 measures concerning Taiwan recently announced by the Chinese Communist Party. He stated that any international trade and economic exchanges must undergo government-to-government evaluation, negotiation, and agreement on equal terms to truly benefit farmers, fishermen, and businesses. He provided examples: after Honduras established diplomatic relations with China, China promised to purchase large quantities of white shrimp, but actual exports significantly underperformed, causing losses to Honduran shrimp farmers. He also mentioned that when Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated, 'An emergency for Taiwan is an emergency for Japan,' tourism to Japan declined, and concerts and artist group performances were canceled. Chen Chi-mai concluded that these examples illustrate the inherent risks in international trade and economic interactions, necessitating government-to-government assessment, negotiation, and equitable agreement on trade conditions to benefit agricultural, fishery, and tourism sectors. He expressed hope that China would engage in equal negotiations with the Taiwanese government, affirming Taiwan's willingness to conduct business with all countries and inviting more foreign visitors to Kaohsiung. He also cautioned about the importance of risk management, warning that businesses could suffer significant losses if investments are made only to be halted later.