Chinese official meets with farmers in southern Taiwan

Zheng Lizhong, deputy chairman of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), reportedly said that his trip to Tainan is aimed at gaining a first-hand understanding of Taiwanese farmers' ideas in the wake of the economic cooperation framework agreement signed between Taiwan and China in June.

The ARATS is a semi official negotiating body authorized by Beijing to handle cross-Taiwan Strait affairs in the absence of official links between the two sides.

In an attempt to keep his visit to Tainan low key, Zheng refused to answer reporters' questions or provide news releases.

Local media sources, however, cited Zheng as saying he is visiting Taiwan in his capacity as deputy director of the Central Office for Taiwan Affairs of the Communist Party of China.

Zheng was also quoted as saying that during his current trip, which will last until the end of this month, he hopes to gain a better understanding of what types of agricultural products or fruit China can directly place orders for and the difficulties local farmers face in selling their products to China directly.

According to the reports, Zheng also said he will communicate with various Chinese government agencies over the matter after he returns to China.

He also suggested that farmers set up agricultural cooperatives, product production and sales units or companies to directly sell their products to China and save themselves from being exploited by middlemen, the reports said.

In light of brisk sales of Taiwan's milkfish in Shenzhen in southern China's Guangdong Province, the inspection of milkfish production and sales is also be a major part of his trip to Tainan, the reports said.

Zheng was at the head of an eight-member delegation that was mainly composed of Chinese officials responsible for Taiwan affairs.

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