Activities of "gradual independence of Taiwan" carried out by leaders of Taiwan authorities with an aim to deliberately create opposition along Taiwan Straits is unpopular and will never succeed, said State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan Monday.

Tang made these remark at a grand reception in celebration of the 54th founding anniversary of new China, which was attended by more than 1,600 people, including overseas Chinese, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwanese compatriots as well as Chinese national friends residing worldwide.

The accomplishment for the complete reunification of the motherland is the common aspiration and historical responsibility of the entire Chinese people, including Taiwan compatriots, Tang said, noting that China will consistently adhere to the principles of "peaceful reunification" and "one country, two systems" and Jiang Zemin's eight-point proposal for resolving the Taiwan issue.

China will, as always, support the patriotic actions of the overseas Chinese people' in opposition to "Taiwan independence" and to promote the reunification of the motherland, he said.

China now has entered into a new period of all-round construction of Xiaokang, or a relatively prosperous society, and accelerated growth of socialist modernization, Tang said, acknowledging that guided by the Deng Xiaoping theory and the important thought of the "three represents", the Chinese government, focused on economic development, will advance the reform and opening further the country to the outside world and socialist cause with Chinese characteristics.

Meanwhile, since their return to the motherland, Hong Kong and Macao has implemented in a comprehensive way "one country, two systems" and "Hongkong people governing Hong Kong" and "Macao people governing Macao", and a high degree of autonomy, he noted. The central government will give its steadfast, all-out support to the administration by law of the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions (ARS) by the two chief executives and the two governments firmly safeguard the social stability of Hong Kong and Macao and help the two ARS to revitalize their economy.

The Chinese government has all along been pursuing an independent foreign policy of peace, and China, full of vigor and vitality, is a staunch force in defense of the world peace, he said, expressing the hope that the overseas Chinese, compatriots of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan and foreign Chinese friends will join efforts to boost China's development and world peace, prosperity and progress.

(Xinhua News Agency September 29, 2003)