China's non-communist parties held a forum in Beijing on January 29 to mark the 5th anniversary of the publication of President Jiang Zemin's eight-point proposition on reunification of the motherland.

Participants hailed the eight-point proposition as a "programmatic document for developing relations across the Taiwan Straits and realizing peaceful reunification of the motherland."

Over the past five years, further progress has been achieved incross-straits exchanges in the economy, culture, trade, science and technology, said Zhang Kehui, vice-chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee and chairman of the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League Central Committee.

Any activities meant to split Taiwan from the motherland are doomed to failure, he pointed out.

Li Ganliu, vice-chairman of the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Guomintang Central Committee, said that the return of HongKong and Macao to the motherland has greatly inspired the Chinese people including Taiwan compatriots to make contributions to resolving the Taiwan issue as soon as possible and realize the peaceful reunification of China.

Feng Kexi, vice-chairman of the China Democratic National Construction Association Central Committee, said peaceful reunification accords with the will of Chinese all over the world and the general trend of events.

"We hope that the Taiwan authorities will promote exchanges across the Taiwan Straits with all their heart" said Feng.

In his speech, Zhang Huaixi, vice-chairman of the China Association for Promoting Democracy Central Committee, said that Lee Tenghui's "two states" statement goes against the trend of thetimes and betrays the Chinese nation."