The Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Kuomintang (KMT)
Party of China said Friday they had agreed to promote the peaceful
and stable development of cross-Straits relations and recreate a
win-win situation at the current "critical point" of historical
development.
"The two sides across the Taiwan Straits have developed
different social systems and adopted different ways of life on
their respective paths over the past 56 years," says a joint press
communiqué on the "common aspiration and prospects for
cross-Straits peace and development."
The document was signed Friday afternoon by General Secretary of
the CPC Central Committee Hu Jintao
and KMT Chairman Lien Chan after a more-than-two-hour meeting, the
first between top leaders of the two parties in 60 years.
According to the communiqué, the Friday meeting between Hu and
Lien was of "great historical and realistic significance".
"More than a decade ago, we started consultation, dialogues and
people-to-people exchanges across the Taiwan Straits on the basis
of goodwill and 'seeking common ground while reserving
differences'. These moves brought about hopes for peace and chances
for cooperation in cross-Straits relations," says the
communiqué.
In recent years, however, the foundation for mutual trust across
the Straits was repeatedly sabotaged, while the situation for
cross-Straits relations kept worsening, says the document, adding
that "presently cross-Straits relations are at a critical point of
historical development".
"The two sides across the Straits should step into a virtuous
cycle of cooperation -- rather than slump into a vicious cycle of
confrontation, join hands to seek opportunities for promoting
peace, stability and development across the Straits, trust and help
each other, and recreate a peaceful, win-win situation. Only by
doing so could we achieve a bright prospect for the Chinese
nation," it says.
The document says that the CPC and KMT have agreed to work
together to promote cross-Straits exchanges and cooperation in five
aspects.
Firstly, the two parties have agreed to promote the earlier
restoration of cross-Straits talks and to seek happiness and
benefits for people on both sides of the Straits. They will promote
the reopening of equal consultation on the basis of the "1992
Consensus" to discuss issues of common and respective concerns and
boost the positive and healthy development of cross-Straits
relations.
Secondly, the two parties will make joint efforts to promote the
formal end of the state of hostility across the Taiwan Straits and
will take steps towards reaching a peace accord, building a
framework for peaceful and steady development of cross-Straits
relations, including a mechanism of military mutual trust, in order
to avoid military conflicts across the Straits.
Thirdly, the CPC and KMT will promote all-round economic
cooperation, help cement economic and trade relations and promote
the "three direct links" across the Taiwan Straits. They have also
agreed to take steps to increase and guarantee investment and trade
across the Straits, enhance cooperation in agriculture and fishery
sectors and facilitate the sales of Taiwan farm produce to the
mainland.
At the same time, the two parties will work together to promote
the improvement of the order of cross-Straits exchanges and the
crackdown on crimes in order to establish a stable economic
cooperation mechanism, and promote discussions for establishing a
cross-Straits common market, which will be regarded as an issue of
priority once cross-Straits consultations are resumed.
Fourthly, the two parties will discuss the issue of Taiwan's
participation in international activities after the resumption of
cross-Straits dialogue. Priority will be given to the discussion
about Taiwan's participation in the activities of the World Health
Organization. The two sides will join hands to create conditions
and find a final solution step by step.
Fifthly, the CPC and KMT have agreed to establish a platform for
regular exchanges between the two parties, including exchange of
visits between party officials at different levels, discussions on
improving cross-Straits relations and consultations on issues
concerning the fundamental interests of Chinese compatriots on both
sides of the Straits. People from all walks of life will be invited
to join in the discussions on measures to cement cross-Straits
exchanges.
The communiqué says the CPC and KMT have reached the
above-mentioned agreements on the basis of their common endorsement
of the following principles:
-- Both the CPC and KMT adhere to the "1992 Consensus" and
oppose to "Taiwan independence," and it is their common stance to
seek peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits, promote
cross-Straits relations and safeguard the interests of the Chinese
compatriots on both sides of the Straits.
-- Promotion of exchanges and visits between people across the
Taiwan Straits and concerted efforts to carry forward the Chinese
culture will help end estrangement, enhance mutual trust and build
up consensus.
-- Peace and development are the general trend of the 21st
century; peace and development across the Taiwan Straits are in
conformity with the common interests of Chinese compatriots on both
sides of the Straits, as well as the interests of the Asia-Pacific
region and the world at large.
The two parties have expressed the hope that the mainland visit
of the KMT delegation and the historic meeting between the party
leaders will benefit the people on both sides of the Straits, open
up a new chapter in cross-Straits relations and lead to a bright
future of the Chinese nation, says the communiqué.
The KMT delegation headed by Lien Chan arrived in east China's
Nanjing City on Tuesday for an eight-day tour of the mainland.
Prior to the historic meeting between Lien and Hu on Friday, Jia
Qinglin, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau
of the CPC Central Committee, met the KMT delegation on Thursday
shortly after their arrival in Beijing.
Also on Thursday, the Taiwan Work Office of the CPC Central
Committee held working talks with the delegation.
(Xinhua News Agency April 29, 2005)