Taiwan Premier on 10 China Measures: What Do Agricultural Products Have to Do with the '92 Consensus'?

(CNA, Taipei, 14th) Following the Zheng-Xi meeting, the Taiwan Affairs Office of the CCP Central Committee announced 10 policy measures concerning Taiwan. Premier Cho Jung-tai stated today that he supports equal, dignified, healthy, and orderly exchanges, but questioned what the import of Taiwanese agricultural and fishery products into China has to do with insisting on the '92 Consensus' and opposing 'Taiwan independence'. The Legislative Yuan continued its general policy interpellation today. KMT legislators Hung Meng-kai and Lee Yen-hsiu both raised questions about the 10 policy measures. In his response, Cho stated his support for promoting healthy and orderly cross-strait exchanges, but under conditions of equality, dignity, and without preconditions. He pointed to the 5th measure, which 'establishes a communication mechanism on the political basis of adhering to the 92 Consensus and opposing Taiwan independence, to provide convenience for the import of Taiwanese agricultural and fishery products that meet inspection and quarantine standards,' and asked what connection this has with the '92 Consensus' and opposing 'Taiwan independence'. Additionally, the measures include allowing the introduction of 'directionally correct, healthy in content, and well-produced' Taiwanese TV dramas, documentaries, and animations to be broadcast on mainland cable TV channels and online streaming platforms. Cho said terms like 'healthy content' and 'well-produced' carry many unnecessary preconditions. Cho said he had no issue with the first measure, but most have been discussed in the past and have been inconsistently applied. For example, in 2011, 47 Chinese cities were opened for independent travel to Taiwan, but this was suddenly stopped in 2019. A 2025 plan to open Shanghai for independent travel to Kinmen and Matsu was also not implemented. Regarding cross-strait tourism, Cho said that necessary negotiations must be conducted through official bodies, and he supports the 'little two sessions' (Taiwan Strait Tourism Association and Cross-Strait Tourism Exchange Association) to begin talks first. (Editor: Lin Hsing-meng) 1150414