Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said Sunday China will never allow anyone to separate Taiwan from the motherland by any means, while striving for peaceful reunification with the utmost sincerity and greatest efforts.

Wen said he would like to have his message taken to Taiwanese compatriots that there is only one China in the world, and the Taiwan Straits can never sever the "blood relations" shared by Chinese both on the mainland and in Taiwan.

The mainland will strive to maintain stability across the Straits with the utmost efforts and push for direct mail service, trade, air and shipping services across the Straits, as well as cross-Straits economic, cultural and personnel exchanges, the premier said at a press conference after the close of the national legislature's annual session.

The mainland will strive for an early resumption of cross-Straits dialogue and negotiations under the one-China principle and for the eventual peaceful reunification of the motherland, the premier said.

Wen said the referendum scheduled for March 20 in Taiwan, which is sponsored by the Taiwan authorities for Taiwan independence under the pretext of democracy, poses a threat to stability across the Taiwan Straits, and challenges the universally acknowledged one-China principle.

The premier said he appreciated the international opposition to the referendum, and the open statement on the one-China principle made by the international community, including the United States, is conducive to maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits.

"I hope the United States and other countries would honor their commitment to the one-China principle, and make due contribution to maintaining stability across the Taiwan Straits and to China's peaceful reunification," Wen said.

The Taiwan issue, left over from China's civil war, is the internal affairs of China, and will eventually be resolved by the Chinese people on their own, said the premier.

China has sovereignty over Taiwan, which has been recognized by the international community, he said. 

(Xinhua News Agency March 14, 2004)