Source: CCTV.com
04-28-2007 14:23
Special Report: 3rd Cross-Strait Forum
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The third cross-Strait economic, trade and cultural forum is underway. China's top leader, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, Hu Jintao has met with Kuomintang Honorary Chairman Lien Chan. Both expressed willingness to jointly promote peaceful cross-strait development.
China's top leader Hu Jintao says enhancing cross-Strait economic ties, culture exchanges and cooperation, and improving people's livelihood across the Straits is the final goal.
"We hope from the bottom of our heart that compatriots across the straits promote personal exchanges and economic and cultural cooperation, prevent Taiwan secessionists' independence activities, keep the Taiwan Straits' peace and make our homeland a better place,"says Hu Jintao.
KMT honorary chairman Lien Chan proposed several ways of pushing forward cross-strait relations, with communication and dialogue foremost.
"Communication is the basic principle and the major drive...Negotiations, but not confrontations, should be the bridge for cross-Straits ties. And the KMT will stick to its principle of promoting the development of the cross-straits ties to a new stage through dialogue," says Lien Zhan.
About 500 participants from the mainland and Taiwan are attending the two-day forum. They will exchange ideas on issues including direct flights across the Taiwan Strait, cooperation in education and mainland citizens' travel to Taiwan.
During the opening ceremony, Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Jia Qinglin says to achieve the goal of realizing peaceful development, both sides should put the interests of people first and work toward the goal of improving the livelihood of people on both sides of the Straits.
"People on both sides of the Straits are from the same root and our fates are connected. The revival of our nation is our common expectation. Let us hold our hands together to strive for the revival of our nation," says Jia Qinglin.
Editor:Chen Ge
