An official of the mainland-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) on Friday expressed sincere thanks to Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao compatriots, as well as overseas Chinese and foreign personages, for their condolences over the death of late ARATS President Wang Daohan.

 

The official expressed the gratitude on behalf of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, as well as Wang's family, after a ceremony for people to pay their last respects to Wang held in Shanghai Friday morning.

 

Wang died of illness in Shanghai last Saturday at the age of 90.

 

The ARATS official said after Wang's death, the people, related departments, political parties and social organizations in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao compatriots, overseas Chinese, foreign embassies in China and foreign statesmen sent messages of condolences or wreaths.

 

While mourning over the death of Wang and cherishing the memory of him, they spoke highly of the late ARATS president's contribution to the development of relations across the Taiwan Straits, said the official.

 

The ARATS is also deeply grateful to the widow and children of Koo Chen-fu, late chairman of the Taiwan-based Strait Exchange Foundation (SEF), representatives of Taiwan's political parties and social organizations, personages from Taiwan's business community and media, and Wang's friends in Taiwan, who made a special trip to Shanghai to pay their last respects to Wang in person, he said.

 

(Xinhua News Agency December 30, 2005)