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Cross-Straits Exchanges Continue Active Momentum
Over 2.4 million Taiwan compatriots came to the mainland for tourism, business, to visit relatives or to receive higher education during the January-November period this year.
An official from the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council said Wednesday, December 27, that in the year 2000, Chinese people on both sidesof the Taiwan Straits and the Chinese government have made great efforts to push forward cross-straits exchanges, and have played a key role in developing relationships on both sides of the Straits.
Over 18.6 million Taiwan compatriots have visited the mainland since 1987. Over 60,000 people from the mainland visited Taiwan during the January-November period this year, involving nearly 1,600 exchange programs.
Up to now, over 80,000 Taiwan compatriots have married people from the mainland.
Zhang Qisheng, an official with the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said that compared with past years, cross-straits exchanges have new characteristics: high-level people have participated in exchange activities; the exchange channel became more steady and wider, exchange among universities on each side of the Straits has become more frequent; and 30 Provinces, Autonomous Regions, and Municipalities of mainland were involved in the exchanges.
Under the guidance of "peaceful reunification, one country, two systems" and Chinese President Jiang Zemin's eight-point proposal,
exchanges between Taiwan and the mainland have increased. As a result, the two sides have made significant bilateral progress, said Zhang, adding that greater efforts still should be made in the coming century to realize peaceful reunification.
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