ARATS deputy head makes 1st Taiwan visit since signing of ECFA

ARATS Vice President Zheng Lizhong, who arrived in Kaohsiung Saturday in his capacity as a deputy director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the Communist Party of China, was scheduled to visit southern Taiwan's Tainan City and County later Monday.

On his first stop, Zheng, accompanied by ruling Kuomintang Legislator Chung Shao-ho, met with Taiwanese farmers in Kaohsiung County Sunday.

According to Chung, Zheng wants to get first-hand information about the export of Taiwan-grown fruits and other farm produce to China and learn about the problems that local farmers and traders encounter in their cross-strait business operations.

“On this trip, Zheng is mainly concerned with the trade of agricultural items that will be allowed tariff concessions under the terms of the 'early harvest list' of the cross-strait economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA),” Chung said.

Kaohsiung County has been a stronghold of Taiwan's pro-independence opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

Zheng and Chung called on the government of county's Renwu township Sunday. Zheng told Renwu township chief Shen Ying-chang, a DPP member, that he was impressed by Renwu orderly development and that Taiwanese people are welcome to visit China.

Traveling with a delegation of Chinese officials, Zheng is visiting Taiwan at the invitation of a KMT think tank, Chung said.

Zheng has kept low profile on his current visit. Even Chinese journalists stationed in Taiwan were unaware of his arrival. He is scheduled to visit Taipei Aug. 25.

The Straits Exchange Foundation, the ARATS counterpart in Taiwan, said Zheng's itinerary does not include a visit to its office during his current trip.

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