Top political advisor meets Taiwan delegates to CPC, KMT think tank forum

China

Top political advisor meets Taiwan delegates to CPC, KMT think tank forum

2026-02-04 20:13 Last Updated At：02-05 11:38

Top political advisor Wang Huning on Wednesday met with the Taiwan delegation attending the think tank forum co-hosted on Tuesday by research institutes affiliated with the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) party.

Extending congratulations on the success of the forum, Wang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, said that the mainland will strengthen exchanges with Taiwan's political parties, including the KMT, as well as with groups and people from all sectors of Taiwan.

Wang, also chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said that the mainland will unite Taiwan compatriots to advance exchanges and cooperation, and deepen integrated development across the Taiwan Strait.

Adhering to the 1992 Consensus and opposing "Taiwan independence" is the common political foundation of exchanges between the CPC and the KMT, and the fundamental precondition for the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, which should not waver at any time, he stressed.

He urged joint efforts to firmly grasp the destiny of the Chinese nation and resolutely oppose "Taiwan independence" separatism and interference by external forces, and to further expand the space for exchanges and cooperation for compatriots on both sides of the Strait.

All Taiwan compatriots and enterprises are welcome to take part in the implementation of the 15th Five-Year Plan, Wang said, urging the CPC and the KMT to take the lead in doing anything that benefits compatriots on both sides of the Strait and cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation.

Hsiao Hsu-tsen, vice chairman of the KMT who led the Taiwan delegation, said he hopes that Chinese people on both sides of the Strait will replace confrontation with exchanges and conflict with consultation, and work together for the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

The Tuesday forum was attended by over 100 participants from both sides of the Strait, including think tank members of the CPC and the KMT, as well as representatives and experts from various fields such as tourism, industry, science and technology, healthcare, and environmental protection.

Rising energy costs squeeze Polish households, businesses

Polish citizens are feeling the squeeze of surging energy costs, as the conflict in the Middle East continues to roil the international energy market,

In Poland, rising fuel prices are gradually making their way into everyday life and the real economy. Many residents said higher energy costs are taking a heavy toll.

"I do think about this issue more and try to reduce my fuel consumption. Overall, everything happening right now is unsettling," said Pawel, a Warsaw resident.

"I really feel it. Prices have gone up a lot. We're trying to cope and can manage for now. Taxi fares haven't increased yet, but it's definitely getting harder," said Wiktor, another resident.

"Of course it has affected us. Because fuel prices have gone up, everything else is more expensive and costs more now," said Anita, another local resident.

Meanwhile, those working in the transport and service sectors said rising oil prices are directly impacting their businesses.

"The courier industry, like most taxi drivers, is soon going to face closure and be forced out of business. I used to drive international long-distance buses, and honestly, some people in that sector are also thinking about quitting," said Michal, another Warsaw resident.

Lukasz Goczek, a professor from the Department of Macroeconomics and Theory of Foreign Trade at the University of Warsaw, said the continued shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global energy corridor, could leave global energy prices elevated for a long time, heavily impacting the world economy.

"Iran has this huge leverage. It's got the whole world in a chokehold because 20 percent of oil that's transported in the world goes through the Strait. It obviously means that the price of energy is going to increase. We see it at the petrol stations," said Goczek.

Goczek also noted that U.S. and Israeli military actions against Iran have dealt a serious blow to the international order.

"I think that's pretty much, by now, the international law. If it's not that, it's definitely very, very illegal. There wasn't any reason for war. It just straightforwardly began without any warning. So it was much of a surprise. We need the international order to have peace, to prosper, to have trade," said Goczek.