Premier Li promises more consideration to interests of Taiwan

BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- China's new premier Li Keqiang on Sunday said that the mainland will give more consideration to the well-being and interests of Taiwan compatriots so that the two sides can share the fruits of country's development.

"The residents on the two sides are fellow compatriots. The word compatriot is a deep-rooted concept in the Chinese culture and I believe it is one of the reasons that our nation has thrived uninterruptedly for five thousand years," Premier Li told a press conference following his installation to the new post.

"Bones may be broken but not the sinews, because we are fellow compatriots. Between us there is no knot that can not be untied." he said in response to a Taiwan reporter.

"We are happy to see in recent years cross-Strait relations have enjoyed peaceful development and cross-Strait cooperation has yielded good results. I think as long as we maintain the 'One China' principle and bond of compatriots between the two sides, there will be great space and potential for advancing cross-Strait relations," he said.

"We should make full use of the current opportunities and work to expand them," the Premier said, stressing that his government will fulfill the commitments made by the previous one and at the same time work hard to seek new pillars for cross-Strait cooperation.

Premier Li also urged Taiwan compatriots to seize and make better use of the opportunities presented by the mainland.

"We should maintain and develop well our common homeland to make it full of flowers, and with flowers in blossom, there will be a time for the moon to be full again," Li said.