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BEIJING: Cross-strait ties are set to deepen even further as Shanghai's Mayor Han Zheng prepares to visit Taiwan for the first time this week.
He will be accompanied by about 70 representatives from the mainland to promote the Shanghai World Expo.
Ties between mainland China and Taiwan have been deepening since president Ma Ying-Jeou took power two years ago.
And it's about to get warmer as Shanghai's Mayor Han Zheng makes a four-day visit to the island.
Shao Yu Qun, Deputy Head of Taiwan HongKong Macao Studies at the Shanghai Institute of International Studies, said: "The cross-strait relationship has entered into a new stage. We call it peaceful development across strait relationship.
"One part of this exchange is the people-to-people exchanges. That's why we say it is very important for Mr Han, Mayor of Shanghai. He himself can visit Taiwan to communicate with the people there. Not only him but also the business people, officials at various levels. They can go to Taiwan and feel the situation there and get to know what the people are really thinking about there.
"I think he himself personally is very interested in city construction matters and those environmental-friendly cities, because it is very closely related to the Expo theme in Shanghai in the coming May."
During the Mayor's visit, Taipei and Shanghai are expected to sign four memoranda of cooperation involving cultural exchanges, tourism, technology parks and environmental protection.
The agreements will be the first to be signed by city governments of both sides.
Shao added: "Actually, Shanghai has got a lot of economic benefits from Taiwan, we've seen so many Taiwan entrepreneurs here for the past more than 20 years. Now I think we are entering into a new stage where Shanghai businessmen will invest more in Taiwan, it's a two-way communications and exchanges there."
The two sides have already signed trade and tourism deals which have led to direct air and sea transport links, as well as postal services.
A slew of favourable entry policies have also been adopted - China has already applied zero tariff treatment to fruits, vegetables and aquatic products of Taiwan.
It has been reported that Taiwan exported more than US$360 million worth of agricultural products to the mainland last year. And Taiwan's agricultural sector investments in the mainland amounted to some US$7.2 billion. - CNA/de
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