TAIPEI, July 8 (Xinhua) -- Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou said here Thursday that the annual forum between the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Communist Party of China (CPC), held from Thursday to Sunday, could play a constructive role in cross-Strait cooperation.
At this year's forum, participants from the two sides will discuss topics such as green energy, which could help build a common understanding across the Strait in this field, said Ma, who is also KMT chairman, at a meeting with the KMT delegation that will attend the forum held in south China's Guangdong Province.
The delegation, headed by KMT Honorary Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung, will leave Taipei for Guangzhou, Guangdong provincial capital, on Friday.
Taiwan is a strong competitor in photoelectric products and LED lighting, while the mainland is also working hard to develop green energy, he said. "I believe the discussion at the forum would help the two sides accumulate common understanding in cooperation."
At the meeting, he also noted that the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA), signed in late June, would not only facilitate product and service trade but also reinforce the cross-Strait peace and prosperity.
"Although there are problems to be settled between the two sides, people across the Strait would have the wisdom to cope with them together as we belong to the same Chinese nationality and share the same cultural traditions," he said.
The forum, first launched in 2005, is divided into two sections this year. Several sub-forums are held from Thursday to Friday and the plenary meeting will be held from Saturday to Sunday.
About 400 people from Taiwan and the mainland will attend the forum.
