No unsafe Taiwan starch-based products found on mainland

BEIJING - No Taiwanese starch-based products containing unsafe additives have been found on the Chinese mainland, a mainland spokesman said Wednesday.

Taiwan has already supplied the mainland with relevant information, in accordance with cross-Straits agreements on food safety and medical cooperation, Yang Yi, spokesman for the mainland's Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said at a regular press conference.

In recent months, several kinds of starch-based foods in Taiwan, including some products from popular snack brands, were found to contain unapproved content that could lead to kidney damage.

Also at Wednesday's press conference, the spokesman indicated that the two sides of the Taiwan Straits are working on an agreement to promote the cross-Straits trade in services.

"After it is signed, the agreement will greatly improve the openness of the service industries on the two sides of the Straits, and both sides will benefit from it," Yang said.

The spokesman said the mainland will continue to give full consideration to the concerns of the Taiwan people as well as the interests of small and mid-sized businesses, weak industries and the public of the island.

Both sides should make efforts to reduce obstacles in cross-Straits trade and investment and create a fair environment for cross-Straits trade, Yang said.

The two sides will also start discussions at an appropriate time about the link between economic development on the two sides of the Straits and regional economic cooperation, Yang said.

Moreover, a joint team on cross-Straits trade statistics has been set up to reduce inconsistencies in cross-Straits trade figures due to differences in the statistical systems used by the two sides, Yang said.

The spokesman also said that a pilot program to allow residents in certain mainland cities to visit Taiwan as individual tourists is expected to be expanded to include more cities this year.