A declaration was passed at the meeting, which was co-sponsored by three organizations including the Alliance for the Reunification of China, saying that the people in Taiwan hope for peace, prosperity and social stability across the Taiwan Straits.

According to the declaration, all participants agreed that the Taiwan authorities should accept the one China principle, recognize the consensus reached by the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits and the Straits Exchange Foundation in 1992, and promote the comprehensive and direct exchange of mail service, trade, air and shipping services across the Straits.

It is the Taiwan authorities' refusal to accept the one China principle and their distortion and denial of the 1992 consensus that has led to the worsening cross-Straits relations and the economic depression and plummeting stock market in Taiwan, the participants said.

They called on the people in Taiwan to unite to uphold the one China principle and fight against "Independence of Taiwan."

(Xinhua 12/25/2000)