国际英语新闻：Mainland official says willing to join hands with Taiwan to tackle downturn

BEIJING, June 28 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese mainland official said here Sunday that the mainland is willing to join hands with Taiwan to get over difficulties at a time when the impact of the global financial crisis still persists.

    Zheng Lizhong, executive deputy director of the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, made the remarks during a meeting with heads of the delegations of Taichung City and Taichung, Changhua and Nantou counties of Taiwan.

    The delegations on Sunday concluded a two-day exhibition of farm produce and tourist attractions from these four areas of central Taiwan.

    Zheng said the Taiwan farm produce show was an exhibition which "complied with the people's will."

    The peaceful development of mainland-Taiwan relations should rely on the joint efforts from people on both sides, and the fruits brought about by the improved relations should be enjoyed by people across the Taiwan Straits, Zheng said.

    He said people on the mainland are willing to join hands with Taiwan compatriots and together get over difficulties at a time when the impact of the global financial crisis still persists.

    Through the joint efforts of people on both sides, cross-Straits relations have stepped into a track of peaceful development, creating favorable conditions for promoting cross-Straits exchange and cooperation, he said.

    The officials from Taiwan thanked the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office and relevant departments for organizing and hosting the show, saying they are looking forward to further pragmatic cooperation between the mainland and Taiwan.

    During the two-day exhibition, all the Taiwan farm produce were purchased by mainland buyers, with a total trade volume of nearly 700,000 yuan (about 10,200 U.S. dollars).