President Jiang Zemin today called on compatriots across the Taiwan Straits to cherish their brotherly affection and join efforts for the realization of reunification of the motherland at an early date.

President Jiang made the call during his visit this morning to members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) who are representing the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang, the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League, and All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots to attend the current third annual session of the CPPCC National Committee.

Li Ruihuan, chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, accompanied President Jiang during the visit.

Jiang, who also participated in a joint panel of the CPPCC National Committee members from the three groups, described the return of Hong Kong and Macao to the motherland as major victories on the way to the fulfillment of the reunification of the motherland, stressing that the eventual settlement of Taiwan issue and realization of the complete reunification of the motherland have been an even more ardent aspiration and demand by the entire Chinese people.

The Chinese government and people are confident and capable of resolving the Taiwan Issue and accomplish the great cause of the motherland at an early date, he noted.

Meanwhile, the president pledged to continue carrying out the basic principle of "peaceful reunification", and "one country, two systems" and his 1995 eight-point proposals on the cross-straits relations and promoting the process of the reunification of the motherland. The white paper, titled "The One-China Principle and the Taiwan Issue", which was issued recently, has given a full expression to the firm stance of the entire Chinese people, he said.

Jiang went on to say that peaceful reunification represents the best way of resolving the Taiwan Issue, which is in the interest of the Taiwan compatriots, the whole Chinese people, and peace and development in the Asian Pacific Region as well as the whole world.

"For the fundamental interests of compatriots across the straits, we will exert our utmost and greatest possibility to resolve the Taiwan Issue through peaceful means, but of course, under the premise of insistence in the One-China Principle," Jiang said.

Nevertheless, he said, "we will definitely not commit to abandoning the use of force." the Chinese government will have to adopt all possible, determined measures to safeguard the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity, provided major incidents causing Taiwan to separate from China occurred under any premise, provided Taiwan is invaded and occupied by any foreign power, or provided Taiwan Authorities postpones indefinitely the peacefully settlement of reunification issue by negotiations. "This has been our consistent position," he stressed.

The Chinese people are in firm opposition to any ghosts and evils, and any schemes detrimental to the fundamental interests of the Chinese nation, such as "Taiwan Independence", "two Chinas" and "one China, one Taiwan", will never succeed, no matter whichever Taiwan-based political parties and factions have been involved and whatever outside political forces are backing them up.

Meanwhile, President Jiang acknowledged that Taiwan compatriots have a glorious tradition of patriotism. "We have consistently and sincerely been placing our hopes on the people of Taiwan," he said. He also expressed the conviction that Taiwan compatriots are sure to make the correct choice on major issues regarding the State sovereignty and territorial integrity, the fundamental interests of the Chinese nation, and the destiny and future of Taiwan.

"We fully respect the wish of Taiwan compatriots as the masters of their own destiny and to develop economy, and to safeguard their own interests. We are ready to undertake extensive contacts and exchanges with all Taiwan-based parties, groups and individuals who are adhering to the One-China Principle, for the increase in mutual understanding and consensus, and making joint efforts to promote the cross-straits relations and peaceful reunification of the motherland."

"We hope to resume the cross-straits talks and negotiations on the basis of the One-China Principle as conditions mature, to resolve disputes across the straits through consultations, so as to pave the way for the growth of the cross-straits relations and lay the foundation for the eventual accomplishment of the reunification of the motherland," Jiang said.

Taiwan compatriots should be helped and facilitated to have an all-around recognition and correct understanding of the central government's policies on Taiwan issue and to further deepen their knowledge about the Chinese mainland, thus creating favorable conditions for resolving the Taiwan issue at an early date, President Jiang said.