Ma Ying-jeou calls for consolidating consensus of one-China principle

SINGAPORE, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Ma Ying-jeou told Xi Jinping Saturday that the two sides should consolidate the consensus of the one-China principle and make contributions to the revival of the Chinese nation.

In the historic, first ever meeting between leaders from across the Taiwan Strait in 66 years, Ma told Xi that the 1992 Consensus with the one-China principle is the common political foundation for advancing the peaceful development of the cross-Strait ties.

"We should consolidate the 1992 Consensus, and maintain the peaceful status quo," Ma said in one of his five-point proposals.

Ma suggested that the two sides reduce hostility and resolve disputes in peaceful means, while expanding cross-Strait exchanges in a bid to achieve win-win outcomes.

Heads of Taiwan's mainland affairs body and the Chinese mainland's Taiwan affairs organ should set up a hotline to deal with emergency and important issues, Ma suggested.

Ma added that the two sides should cooperate and be committed to the revival of the Chinese nation, as the peoples of the both sides across the Strait are all Chinese descendants.

"The cross-Strait relations are at the most peaceful and stable period since 1949," Ma noted.

He cited that in the past seven years the two sides have signed a total of 23 agreements, with over 40,000 students exchanging across the Strait, over 8 million cross-Strait tourists annually and an annual trade volume worth over 170 billion U.S. dollars. Enditem