国内英语新闻:Mainland-Taiwan forum eyes deeper economic ties, green energy cooperation

GUANGZHOU, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The Cross-Strait Economic, Trade and Cultural Forum opened Saturday in the southern city of Guangzhou with leading mainland and Taiwan representatives urging deeper economic ties and cooperation in green energy.

This year's forum, a regular event between the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Taiwan's Kuomintang (KMT) Party, focuses on cross-Strait cooperation in green energy, energy conservation and environmental protection.

Wang Yi, director of the Taiwan Work Office of the CPC Central Committee, said the forum commenced as the peaceful development of cross-Strait ties achieved new progress.

Wang Yi, director of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, presides over the opening ceremony of the sixth Cross-Strait Economic, Trade and Culture Forum in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, July 10, 2010.

The Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA), reached between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan in late June, signaled that cross-Strait economic ties had entered a new stage of mutual benefits, he said while addressing the opening ceremony.

Jia Qinglin, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said cross-Strait economic cooperation is now facing uNPRecedented challenges while many opportunities exist as well.

"We should seize the opportunity and set up multi-level economic cooperation in a bid to benefit each other and, at the same time, boost our competitiveness and risk-resistance abilities," Jia said in his speech.

"The mainland is speeding up economic restructuring and boosting independent innovation and domestic demand. Meanwhile, Taiwan is also taking measures to restructure its economy and stimulate development," Jia added.

He noted that cross-Strait economic cooperation still had much room to grow, especially in the science and technology fields.

Jia said the new energy and environmental protection sectors could provide breakthroughs for promoting cross-Strait science and technology innovation.

He hoped businessmen and experts would provide useful proposals regarding cooperation in technology research, intellectual property rights and fostering talent.

More than 400 people from Taiwan and the mainland attended the forum on Saturday and Sunday in Guangzhou, capital city of Guangdong Province.

The event is the sixth of its kind since the forum was first held in 2006.