On April 12, 2026, the Chinese mainland introduced a far-reaching set of preferential policies crafted to advance the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and lift the well-being of people living on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. Unveiled by the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee following extensive consultations with relevant national and local departments, the 12-point policy framework spans five core areas: political dialogue, youth exchanges, infrastructure and transportation connectivity, trade and economic cooperation, and cultural exchange.
At the political core of the initiative is a proposal for a regularized communication mechanism between the Communist Party of China and the Chinese Kuomintang, built on the shared foundation of upholding the 1992 Consensus and firm opposition to the separatist “Taiwan independence” movement. The entire policy package is rooted in the long-held principle that “compatriots across the Strait are one family,” designed to directly respond to the widespread shared desire among people on both sides for peace, growth, people-to-people exchanges and mutually beneficial cooperation.
To deepen cross-generation connections, the plan formalizes an institutionalized two-way youth exchange platform. Leading mainland youth organizations including the All-China Youth Federation will partner with Kuomintang youth bodies to host annual structured exchange activities, with an estimated 20 Taiwanese youth delegations invited to visit different regions of the mainland each year to build personal connections and learn about mainland development.
For infrastructure and livelihood improvements, mainland authorities will explore expanded cross-Strait utility connectivity where conditions allow, including the potential integration of water, power and natural gas networks between coastal Fujian Province and the Taiwan-administered Kinmen (Jinmen) and Matsu islands. The project is explicitly aimed at raising living standards for local residents on both sides of the strait. On transportation, the mainland will push for full normalization of cross-Strait passenger flights, restore suspended air routes linking Taiwan with under-connected mainland cities including Urumqi, Xi’an, Harbin, Kunming and Lanzhou, and support shared access for Kinmen residents to the newly built international airport in Xiamen, Fujian.
On the economic and trade front, the new package introduces multiple measures to lower barriers for Taiwan-based producers. A dedicated new communication mechanism will be set up to streamline imports of Taiwanese agricultural and fisheries products that meet mainland inspection and quarantine standards. Taiwan producers will receive targeted support to participate in major mainland trade shows and business matchmaking events to expand their market access, and authorities are exploring the construction of dedicated berthing facilities in eligible mainland ports for Taiwanese deep-sea fishing vessels to ease entry and sales of their catches on the mainland. Additional steps include simplified registration and export procedures for Taiwanese food manufacturers, and exploratory work to establish small-scale cross-Strait commodity trading hubs to help Taiwanese small and medium-sized enterprises enter the mainland consumer market.
In the cultural sector, the mainland will open more satellite television channels and online streaming platforms to high-quality Taiwanese television dramas, documentaries and animated works, while encouraging creators from Taiwan to develop original short-form web content centered on the shared cultural heritage of cross-Strait compatriots to strengthen people-to-people bonds. Authorities also plan to resume pilot programs for individual tourists from Shanghai and Fujian to travel to Taiwan, restoring a popular people-to-people travel route that was suspended in recent years.
The release of the comprehensive policy package came as a six-day official visit to the mainland by a delegation led by Chinese Kuomintang Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun drew to a close, marking a new step forward in cross-Strait dialogue amid growing calls for renewed cooperation.