A group of entrepreneurs from Taiwan, led by Jiang Bingkun, the former president of Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation and chairman of the Third Wednesday Club, met with Zhou Benshun, the Hebei provincial Party secretary, on Oct 12, in the city of Qinhuangdao, Hebei province to discuss the further opening-up of coastal areas and cooperative opportunities.

Zhou explained that Hebei has resources, a solid industrial foundation, and good location, around the Bohai Sea, Beijing, China's capital, and the large city of Tianjin, while Taiwan's enterprises have advanced technology and management that are in great need here. He said that Hebei expects to become a hot spot for investment, especially with its industrial structure reforms and preferential policies for opening up.

Jiang said he is of the same opinion about Hebei's potential to become a highly developed province and that he hopes to increase communications and cooperation on a complementary basis, for mutual benefit, and to form a higher level of cooperation over a wider range.