China will not yield its principle on Taiwan issueThe "One China" principle is an issue of right and wrong, and China will by no means compromise and give in on this matter of principle, a senior Chinese official in charge of Taiwan affairs said in Beijing on April 8.Some people in Taiwan's industrial and commercial fields openly clamor for "Taiwan independence" and advocate the "Lee Teng-hui Line", which preaches the breakup of the motherland. It has exerted a bad influence, said Li Bingcai, deputy director of China 's Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council and Taiwan Work Office of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party. Meanwhile, they scrabble for profits by engaging in business and economic operations on the mainland of China. Such a situation will not be allowed to continue, Li said. The majority of the people in the industrial and commercial circles of Taiwan stand for developing cross-straits relations, and oppose "Taiwan independence", indicating their strong desire for peace and stability, he pointed out. "We encourage them to make investments and conduct other economic activities on the mainland. We will continue to implement the policy of giving preferential treatment to Taiwan investors and adopting an appropriately relaxed policy, and protect their legitimate rights and interests in accordance with the law," Li said. The mainland of China enjoys political and social stability, and steady economic growth. The recently-launched strategy of speeding up economic development in the western part of China holds out great opportunities for Taiwan compatriots who wish to invest in and conduct business activities on the Chinese mainland, he said. Cross-straits economic exchanges and cooperation accord with the common interests of the people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits, he pointed out. By the end of 1999, the trade volume between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits totaled 160.4 billion US dollars, and Taiwan's share of this trade gave it a huge favorable balance, enabling the island province to upgrade its industrial structure and maintain economic stability. China pursues a consistent policy of encouraging Taiwan compatriots to invest in the mainland of China. To implement this policy, The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and the State Council have approved the "Law of the People's Republic of China on Protection of Investment by Compatriots From Taiwan" and "Detailed Rules on Implementation of the Law on Protection of Investment by Compatriots From Taiwan". People's congresses and governments at all levels in China's provinces and autonomous regions have also worked out their own regulations in this regard, and set up special organs to deal with complaints arising from problems concerning investment by Taiwan compatriots. The reason for drawing up such laws and regulations is that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China. The people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits are Chinese. Promotion of cross-straits economic exchanges tallies with the common aspirations and fundamental interests of the people on both sides of the straits, Li noted. "We will stick to the eight-point principle on developing cross- straits relations and promoting the peaceful reunification of China proposed by Jiang Zemin, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. We will continue to encourage our Taiwan compatriots to invest and engage in economic activities on the Chinese mainland, and safeguard their legitimate rights and interests in accordance with the law," he said. The people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits feel the need to promote cross-Straits relations and realize direct links in trade, transportation and postal services between the two sides. China expects that more Taiwan compatriots will come to the mainland of China for investment and other types of economic cooperation, he concluded. |
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