The first Cross-straits Competitiveness Forum is to be held in Fuzhou on July 8, announced the Development Research Center of the Fujian government.

The forum is hosted by the China Regional Economies Academic Society, the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research and other national organizations. Three seminars will be held to discuss cross-straits competitiveness, regional development and economic growth. It also will focus on the cooperation between regions across the Taiwan Strait and, in particular, approaches to improve economic growth in the western shore of the Taiwan Strait, such as Pintan District.

In addition, scholars from both sides of the Straits will give speeches and exchange their academic research results. Three Taiwan think tanks—the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research, the Taiwan Research Institute and the Taiwan Competitiveness Forum—will send over ten economic heavyweights to join the forum.

Xie Minghui, vice secretary and executive director of Taiwan Competitiveness Forum, said in an interview that the forum to be held on July 8 was expected to advance the regular exchange between scholars of both sides and other seminars were to be held in the future in an effort to pool ideas for better cooperation and development.

By Xu Xinlei