Investments from Taiwan made up a large proportion of the Chinese mainland’s economy, said Premier Li Keqiang. He vowed to expand imports including agricultural goods and seafood from Taiwan, while offering greater convenience to its companies.

Premier Li made the remarks when meeting Vincent Siew, honorary chairman of the Taiwan-based Cross-Straits Common Market Foundation, in Boao, South China’s Hainan province. They are attending the Boao Forum for Asia, which ends on March 29.

“We will make sure to have Taiwan companies enjoy the same policies we offer to mainland companies,” Premier Li said, specifying the government’s recent large-scale tax cuts.

“The existing preferential policies will remain and the legitimate rights and interests of Taiwan entrepreneurs and Taiwan-funded enterprises will be protected by the law,” Premier Li said, adding that new preferential policies would also be offered.

Premier Li praised the foundation for its efforts in promoting the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations and pushing forward pragmatic cooperation between the two sides.

“It is in line with the fundamental well-being of people on both sides of the Straits to uphold the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus, oppose ‘Taiwan independence’, work for the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations, and advance the process of the peaceful reunification of the motherland,” Premier Li said.

He also urged more people-to-people exchanges between the two sides.

“We will also listen to Taiwan compatriots’ opinions and roll out more policies and measures to offer equal treatment to compatriots of Taiwan coming to the mainland for travel, study, living and work,” Premier Li said.

“We will do our best to benefit compatriots of Taiwan. Anything that is good for our Taiwan residents, we will do our best.”

For his part, Siew spoke of his willingness to work together with the mainland. He vows to make more solid efforts in the common market shared by the two sides.