Think tank forum underscores the importance of cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation

A think tank forum between the Communist Party of China and the Chinese Kuomintang held in Beijing on Tuesday underscored the importance of cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation amid current tensions in the Taiwan Strait.

Song Tao, head of the Taiwan Work Office of the CPC Central Committee, said at the forum that both the CPC and the KMT shoulder an inescapable responsibility to promote the peaceful and efficient development of cross-Strait relations and to safeguard the shared homeland of the Chinese nation.

"Upholding the 1992 Consensus and opposing 'Taiwan independence' is the shared political foundation for exchanges between the CPC and the KMT, and serves as the stabilizing anchor for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait," he said.

The forum, which marked the resumption of the inter-party exchange mechanism after nearly a decade, was themed on prospects for cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation.

Song emphasized that cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation are an important pathway to advancing the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

Discussions at the forum focused on exchanges and cooperation in areas including cross-Strait tourism, industrial development, environmental protection, and sustainable development.

Song noted that these topics closely align with the development needs of cross-Strait industrial cooperation and the livelihood and welfare needs of compatriots on both sides, marking a positive starting point for deepening cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation.

Hsiao Hsu-tsen, vice-chairman of the KMT, also stressed that maintaining a path of peaceful and stable development in cross-Strait relations is the prevailing mainstream view within Taiwan society.

He expressed hope that both sides of the Strait would prioritize the well-being of the people, uphold the 1992 Consensus, oppose "Taiwan independence", and seek common ground while setting aside differences.

In 2025, nearly 5.45 million trips across the Strait were recorded, the highest level in six years. About 5 million visits were made by Taiwan residents to the mainland.

"Cross-Strait confrontation or even conflict does not serve the interests of the general public in Taiwan, nor does it serve the shared interests of people on both sides of the Strait, let alone the overall interests of the Chinese nation," Hsiao said.

The CPC-KMT think tank forum was jointly hosted by the Research Center for Cross-Strait Relations of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the CPC Central Committee and the policy foundation affiliated with the KMT.

The forum brought together around 100 participants, including think tank members from both sides, as well as representatives from various sectors across the Strait, such as tourism, industry, technology, healthcare, and environmental protection.