Chinese scholars and businessmen have hailed Hu Jintao's latest speech on Taiwan affairs, hoping that the mainland and Taiwan could have more communication and cooperation in 2009.

On the new year's eve, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee Hu Jintao made a speech at a ceremony to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the mainland's Message to Compatriots in Taiwan, in which he made six proposals to promote the peaceful development of the cross-Straits relationship.

Zhou Zhihuai, executive vice president of National Society on Taiwan Studies, said that Hu's speech has combined the "one country, two systems" policy and the practice in the development of cross-strait relations.

"His remarks have made the path of peaceful reunification clearer and will be of historical significance in the progress of the cross-strait relations," he said.

Hu Youqing, vice president of All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots, said that Hu's speech will certainly receive positive responses from Taiwan.

"Hu's speech has answered some specific issues which people in Taiwan are mostly concerned about and proposed methods to promote the cross-strait relations with very a sincere attitude," Hu Youqing said.

Wu Nengyuan, director of institute of Taiwan studies with Fujian Academy of Social Sciences, expressed faith that people living on both the mainland and Taiwan would cherish the opportunities in year of 2009 and build on the significant progress in cross-strait exchanges made in 2008.

A famous artist Wang Chengxi suggested that the mainland and Taiwan should strengthen their ties by increasing communication in cultural sectors since the common cultural background shared by both sides could more easily arouse spiritual attachment and sympathetic response.

Wang Wei, director of archeological institute with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that Hu's speech would promote academic and cultural exchange between the mainland and Taiwan. "All compatriots should join hands to promote the Chinese civilizations that has lasted for more than 5,000 years."

Kong Fanbing, a senior technical officer with the mainland-based Datang Telecom Technology Co. Ltd., said that Hu's speech will also benefit economic cooperation between the two sides.

"It is predictable that mainland telecom cooperation with Taiwan is very likely to be included in cross-strait economic cooperation mechanism in the future," Kong said.

"As a telecom professional, I look forward to the establishment of a mechanism to share technological resources between the mainland and Taiwan," he said.

(Xinhua News Agency January 4, 2009)