TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Chan Chih-hung (詹志宏), secretary-general of the Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation, on Thursday (March 18) called on Beijing to remove political barriers after the pandemic in order for "normal cross-strait interactions" to take place.

Speaking at a conference organized by the semiofficial organization, Chan pointed out that regular exchanges between citizens of the two countries have been the foundation of healthy cross-strait relations. However, political barriers set up by the Chinese government in recent years have hindered the development of sustainable peace and prosperity on both sides, he said.

Chan said the coronavirus outbreak has had a negative impact on Taiwan's relationship with China and that it is important for bilateral exchanges to gradually resume in the post-pandemic era. He added that cross-strait relations have experienced ups and downs over the last three decades and that the countries will hopefully work to find a solution for their differences.

Some experts attending the conference also noted that Beijing has sent ambiguous signals to the Taiwanese authorities through constant pressure. They encouraged the two sides to "minimize conflicts and maximize opportunities for conversations" to achieve mutual benefits.