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Taiwan

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The one China principle serves as the basis for the development of relations across the Straits and the realization of peaceful reunification. People across the Straits should strive together toward the same direction of peaceful reunification and common development. After years of separation, the two sides of the Straits have developed differences in such areas as ideology and social system.  The mainland has given such factors sufficient consideration, the very reason why it has proposed the concept of ??one country, two systems??. The differences should not become obstacles to peaceful reunification. There is only one China in the world, both the mainland and Taiwan are part of China, and China's sovereignty and territorial integrity brook no division. This is the crux of the one China principle, which the two sides across the Taiwan Straits should both observe, and it is a very accommodating principle. The??one China?? the mainland has proposed refers to the China including both the mainland and Taiwan. Of course there is a series of issues to be resolved in the process of developing from cross-Straits exchanges to reunification. But as long as the one China principle is accepted, any question is open for discussion. Such an attitude has shown that the mainland's sincerity toward peaceful reunification and its respect to the will of Taiwan compatriots. This, instead of benefiting just one side, is in the interests of compatriots on both sides of the Straits.

Facts have proven that it is the foundation of the steady development of cross-Straits relations that the two sides adhere to the one China principle. In 1992, the Beijing-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) and the Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) reached a consensus on expressing respectively, in words of mouth, that ??both sides of the Straits uphold the one-China principle??. In fact, based on this, ARATS and SEF have done some practical work since 1992, with meetings between Wang Daohan and Koo Chen-fu successfully held and cross-Straits relations improved to a certain degree. However, the Taiwan authorities have explicitly acknowledged neither the one China principle nor the consensus reached by ARATS and SEF in 1992, which is the root underlying the current tensions in the cross-Straits relations.

??One China?? is an issue that can be neither avoided nor blurred. The earlier the Taiwan authorities explicitly acknowledge this, the better it will be for the social stability in Taiwan and the development of the cross-Straits relations.

The mainland will continue to carry out the basic principle of ??peaceful reunification and one country, two systems?? and fully implement President Jiang Zemin's eight-point proposal for developing cross-Straits relations and promoting peaceful reunification of the motherland at the present stage. It will continue to promote personnel contacts as well as exchanges and cooperation in economic, cultural and other fields to jointly carry on and develop the excellent traditions of Chinese culture. It will expand exchanges and dialogues with all the Taiwan parties and personages from all walks of life who agree with the one China principle, thus promoting dialogues and negotiations between the two sides on the basis of the one China principle and creating new conditions for peaceful reunification.

Compatriots on both sides of the Straits should join hands to meet challenges together and achieve mutual benefit and win-win in economy, science and technology. All the obstacles that violate economic laws and harm the common development of both sides should be removed. The Taiwan authorities should abolish regulations preventing investment by mainland enterprises in Taiwan, and remove barriers restricting mainland exports to Taiwan. The mainland compatriots also hope that they can travel in Taiwan and feast their eyes on the beautiful landscape of the motherland's treasure-island.

Comprehensive and direct exchanges of mail, trade, air and shipping services have become an increasing requirement for the expansion of exchanges between the two sides across the Straits and a strong wish shared by most Taiwan compatriots. The mainland has carried out all necessary preparations. Because reconciliation produces mutual benefit and openness leads to win-win, it is better to realize the ??three exchanges?? earlier than later.

The mainland proposes ??one country, two systems?? as a means to respect Taiwan compatriots' strong wish for self-rule and safeguard their interests. For years, Taiwan compatriots have made significant contributions to the development of the cross-Straits relations. Taiwan compatriots will join with the mainland in the future to make new contributions to foiling attempts to sever the motherland and promoting peaceful reunification. Either in the process of reunification or after reunification, the mainland will fully respect the will of Taiwan compatriots and practically protect their interests. The mainland's proposal of peaceful reunification complies with the wish of Chinese people with an aim to safeguard the supreme interests of national sovereignty and territorial integrity. Together with Taiwan compatriots, all the Taiwan parties and personages from all walks of life who agree with the one China principle, and all the overseas organizations that are against ??Taiwan independence?? and promote reunification, the mainland will continue as ever to unite all the forces that can be united and work together with them to fight against separation and promote reunification. As to those who advocated, engaged in and followed "Taiwan independence", the mainland is also willing to explore and push forward the cross-Straits relations with them so long as they relinquish their original stand.

China's complete reunification will benefit the stability and development of the Asia-Pacific region and will make greater contribution to world peace and development in the new century. The Taiwan issue is China's internal affair and should be settled by the Chinese themselves. The Chinese Government and people resolutely oppose the interference of any foreign forces in China's settlement of the Taiwan issue. They hope that big powers bearing great responsibility for the cause of world peace can earnestly abide by international laws and the basic norms governing international relations and implement their commitments made to the Chinese Government on the Taiwan issue, instead of doing anything that would lead to tensions in the relations across the Taiwan Straits.

China, with ever growing vitality and vigor, has entered the 21st century that is full of hope. Through their joint efforts, Chinese compatriots across the Straits will definitely accomplish early the great cause of the motherland's reunification and build their shared homeland into a prosperous, democratic and civilized modern country, adding a more brilliant chapter to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

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