Accompanying this article written by Cai Zimin are notes from the editors, which say: After Hong Kong's return, Macao was also back to the embrace of the motherland on December 20 last year.

The Chinese people have taken an important historic step forward on the road to accomplishing the country's reunification. The task of achieving an early solution to the Taiwan issue and realizing complete reunification of the motherland has clearly placed before us. For this, at the turn of the century, the Special Column, marking "The Fifth Anniversary of the Publication of President Jiang's Eight-Point Propositions", is opened from today to February 29 jointly by the People's Daily, and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council.

Following are excerpts of this article: At the New Year tea party held by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference this year, President Jiang Zemin said that the Eight-Point Propositions he put forward five years ago for developing cross-Strait relations and pushing forward the process of the motherland's peaceful reunification remain unchanged. He has added new contents to the principles "peaceful reunification, one country, two systems" in light of the development of the situation over the past five years.

The key to the development trend of cross-Strait relations lies in the growth of comprehensive national strength of China's mainland. After decades of efforts, enormous, remarkable achievements have been scored in China's socialist construction, the country's GNP (gross national product) has been placed seventh in the world. According to World Bank's estimation, by the 2020s, China will develop into an economic power and its national strength will have become a force not to be neglected in the world. In terms of the two sides of the Straits, after the two sides join the WTO and along with the development of cross-Strait economic and trading relations and the enhanced attraction of the mainland's markets, the Taiwan authorities' policy of "avoiding impatience and adopting patience" will definitely be broken through, the trend of the cross-Strait three direct exchanges (exchange of mails, trade, and air and shipping services) are irresistible, the pipe dreams of "independence of Taiwan" and "two-states" theory will be dashed.

At present, the China-US concerted effort to establish constructive strategic partnership has set up the framework and orientation for the development of Sino-US relations. Although there exist some problems with the Sino-US ties, the establishment of constructive strategic partnership is the general trend of historical development. The world of today is tending toward political polarization and economic globalization, the Taiwan authorities, sticking to the strategic mode of thinking of the Cold War times, position Taiwan as one link in the US West Pacific anti-Communist chain and rely on the United States to antagonize the mainland of the motherland. This way of thinking has become out of date.

The fact that in recent years, the mutual economic promotion, the considerable increase in personnel contacts and frequent exchanges indicates that developing cross-Strait relations represents the popular feeling and the general trend.

Over the past five years, Hong Kong and Macao have returned to the motherland one after the other in accordance with the principles of "peaceful reunification, one country, two systems", thus wiping out the century-old humiliation imposed by imperialists on the Chinese people, major progress has been made in the great cause of the reunification of the motherland. The sacred mission of solving the Taiwan issue and realizing complete reunification of the motherland has been placed more prominently before the Chinese people. Unlike the issues of Hong Kong and Macao, the Taiwan question is an internal affair issue left over from the civil war, so it should be easier to discuss and resolve.

Due to Taiwan authorities' years of distorted publicity, some Taiwan people have apprehensions about the "one country, two systems" principle. As a matter of fact, these misgivings will gradually be dispelled so long as these people go and sees things for themselves in Hong Kong or Macao. Hong Kong and Macao which introduce the "one country, two systems" principle, retain the original social systems, life styles and legal systems, the people of the two regions become masters of their own affairs, the local residents live and work in peace and contentment, their economies have taken new steps forward and their future will be better.

The solutions of the issues of Hong Kong and Macao have provided both experience for the solution of the Taiwan question and an example of great value for reference and comparison. President Jiang's speech realistically emphasized the particularity in solving the Taiwan issue, calling for full attention to the characteristics of Taiwan different from those of Hong Kong and Macao, and clearly indicating that solving the Taiwan issue in accordance with the "one country, two systems" principle and the content of realizing peaceful reunification can be more flexible than that of Hong Kong and Macao. "One country" means pursuing reunification and safeguarding China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, Taiwan compatriots can, together with all Chinese people, enjoy China's dignity and honor in the international arena. The "two systems" means that after reunification, under the one China principle, Taiwan can keep its existing social system unchanged, without affecting its living and development space.

In order to break the current political deadlock between the two sides of the Straits and expediting reunification of the motherland, President Jiang, in his speech, again emphasized pinning hopes on the Taiwan authorities, especially on the Taiwan people, expressing his "willingness to conduct contacts and exchanges with all party groupings, organizations and personages of Taiwan who stand for the one China principle and developing cross-Strait relations, increasing trust and dispelling doubts and promoting common view". He calls for conducting dialogs and negotiations between the two sides of the Straits on the basis of the one China principle when conditions are ripe. He stressed any problem can be discussed, and the interests of the Taiwan people and people of all social circles will be fully taken into account.

The present main trend of thought of the Taiwan society is the desire for peace, stability and development. And the principles of "peaceful reunification, one country, two systems" exactly conform to the main trend of thought of the Taiwan society. The "peaceful reunification, one country, two systems" principles represent popular sentiment, the righteous cause of the nation and the trend of historical development.