Beijing simplified the exit and entry rules for Taiwan residents over the weekend and urged the Taiwan authorities to adopt more tangible measures to facilitate its fruit exports to the mainland.

As of today, Taiwan residents can be granted multiple entry and exit permits, valid for one to five years, thereby foregoing the need to obtain separate residence permits, China Central Television cited the Public Security Ministry as saying.

Between 1987 and December last year, the mainland received nearly 34 million visitors from Taiwan.

Li Shuilin, chairman with the Cross-Straits Association for Economic and Trade Exchanges, said at the weekend: "We hope that for the sake of the fruit farmers in Taiwan, the Taiwan agencies in charge will not put artificial obstacles into place [in its fruit trade with the mainland]."

In May, Beijing announced that it would improve access for fruit from Taiwan, from 12 to 18 categories, and agreed to lift the tariffs on at least 15 of them.

"As a favourable unilateral policy launched by the mainland, the tariff-free treatment should not meet additional obstacles in implementation," Li said.

He urged the Taiwan authorities to move forward as soon as possible because the midseason for the sale of fruits from Taiwan is fast approaching and Taiwanese fruit farmers are eagerly awaiting these changes in policy.

Meanwhile, Li said representatives from local Taiwan institutions appointed by the Taiwan authorities and members of the association of Taiwanese fruit growers will be welcomed to the mainland for further consultation on the zero-tariff policies on July 27.

Some technical issues in the implementation of this policy have already been settled through earlier talks between Li's association and the associations of Taiwan farmers.

Two exhibitions for the promotion of agricultural products from Taiwan have also been held in Shanghai and Fuzhou in east China's Fujian Province. All of the fruit on show at these exhibitions had enjoyed the zero-tariff treatment when entering the mainland market.

Taiwanese fruit has been well received on the mainland.

(China Daily July 25, 2005)