Support Expressed for Statement on Taiwan

Representatives from China's non-Communist parties, the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce and non-party personages gathered in Beijing Monday to voice their strong support for the recent statement on the issue of Taiwan.

The joint statement issued on May 20 was authorized by the Taiwan Work Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council.

Those gathered at today's meeting said they hoped that the new leader of Taiwan would not act against the common wishes of the Chinese people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits and other parts of the world, and would take concrete steps to improve and develop the cross-Straits relations.

Cheng Siyuan, vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and representative of the non-party personages, noted that in his inauguration speech, the new leader of Taiwan uttered many placating phrases about not encouraging "Taiwan independence," but was evasive and vague on the one-China principle.

The new leader of Taiwan also claimed that one China is a matter that will be handled in the future, while saying nothing about the much-desired direct links in trade, transportation and postal services between the two sides of the Straits.

"This showed that the new leader of Taiwan was short on sincerity," Cheng said.

Zhang Kehui, vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and chairman of the Central Committee of the Taiwan Democratic self-government League, said that though he made a gesture toward improving cross-Straits relations, his vague words actually contained the "two-state" sentiment.

"As people from Taiwan, we sincerely hope for peace, stability and development in our homeland," Zhang said.

"And we also hope for an earlier settlement of the Taiwan issue and the reunification of the motherland," Zhang said, warning that denying that Taiwan is part of China would only end in disaster.

Tong Fu, vice-chairman of the Central Committee of Revolutionary Committee of Chinese Kuomintang, pointed out at the meeting that the new leader of Taiwan had purposely evaded the one China principle.

"We will not make any compromise or concession on the one-China principle," Tong said. The Taiwan new leader should fully realize that the Taiwan issue will be solved only under the one-China principle -- a principle stands strong in spite of outside attempts to thwart it.

Yuan Xingpei, vice-chairman of the Central Committee of China Democratic League, noted that if the new leader of Taiwan was sincere about cross-Straits dialogue and negotiations, he should not regard the one-China principle as a problem.

Lu Ming, vice-chairman of the Central Committee of China Democratic National Construction Association, pointed out that the vagueness in the new Taiwan leader's speech concerning the one-China principle left him plenty of room for reconfiguring his position.

The evasive attitude of the new Taiwan leader on the one-China principle should put people on the alert, Lu said.

Zhang Xuwu, vice-chairman of the executive committee of All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, said that in recent years more and more people in Taiwan have joined the call for direct links in trade, transportation and postal services between the two sides of the Straits.

However, some of the Taiwan authorities have stubbornly stuck to the "Taiwan independence" theme and attempted to split the island from the motherland.

"This will endanger not only the social stability and economic growth in Taiwan, but also the fundamental interests of the Chinese people," Zhang said.

Zhang called on the industry and commerce circles in Taiwan to understand what "Taiwan independence" really means and to join the mainland in putting an end to the separatists' schemes.

All participants at today's gathering vowed to take the lead in opposing "Taiwan independence" and striving for the early reunification of the motherland.



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