TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — In Fuzhou, the capital of China’s Fujian Province, China’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) in cooperation with the local government organized the the 26th Cross-Straits Fair for Economy and Trade from May 16 through May 19.
At this year’s event, Chinese authorities announced a raft of proposals that target Taiwan’s Matsu Islands, also known as Lienchiang County, for economic integration. The 10-point plan aims to increase shipping and investment between Fuzhou and the Matsu Islands, which are only separated by about 20 km.
The Taiwan authorities have identified these measures as a threat to national security. As an outlying territory so close to China, Beijing hopes that economic links can be used to coerce the local government and population of the county to willingly accept Chinese administration.
The proposals would allow Matsu residents to make use of services offered to Chinese citizens in the city, per SCMP. There are also plans for an industrial cooperation zone that will make it easier for Taiwanese citizens in Matsu to establish businesses in Fujian. Additionally, China has pledged US$1.38 billion (NT$44 billion) each year to promote business links and offer Matsu residents the same property rights as Chinese citizens.
Fuzhou also seeks to entice young Matsu residents with educational exchange opportunities. Or attract travelers with incentives related to tours and accommodation, such as the Fuzhou-Matsu city passes, which were announced in February. The Chinese authorities are also planning to create a cross-strait distribution center in Fuzhou with an annual budget of US$5.5 million (NT$177 million) to facilitate increased trade, shipping, and economic exchanges with Lienchiang County.
The proposals targeting Matsu are a development in China’s plan to establish a Fujian Cross-Strait Integration and Development Demonstration Zone, announced last September. China aims to use trade and finance strategies along with infrastructure projects to annex Taiwan’s outlying territories of Kinmen and Matsu initially, to be followed by Penghu and then the main island of Taiwan.
In recent weeks, Taiwan's authorities have raised the alarm about the efforts of China to target Lienchiang County.
Over 3,000 people have reportedly applied for the Fuzhou-Matsu City passes which provide RMB300 (NT$1,300) for free to people who travel to Fuzhou. What is more, the local Lienchiang County government is reportedly assisting residents to apply for prepaid cards, which some believe could be a direct violation of Taiwan’s law governing cross-strait relations.
The Magistrate of Lienchiang County Wang Chung-ming (王忠銘) has been vocal in promoting a 27.2 km bridge directly linking Matsu to Fujian. The magistrate is promoting the infrastructure project as a means to connect Matsu’s Nangan Island to Langqi Island and Fujian’s highway network, which would also allow the delivery of electricty and natural gas to the islands, linking Lienchiang County to China's power grid.
