A senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Monday expressed condolences over the death of Ku Chen-fu, chairman of the Strait Exchange Foundation (SEF) in Taiwan.

"I was shocked and deeply grieved to learn the death of Mr. Ku, and hereby convey my sincere, heartfelt condolences to you and your family," said Chen Yunlin, director of the Taiwan Work Office of the CPC Central Committee, in a condolence message addressed to Ku's widow Yen Cho-yun.

Ku, 87, died of renal failure in Taipei in the wee hours on Monday.

In his message, Chen noted that Ku had headed the Strait Exchange Foundation to promote exchanges, consultation and dialogues across the Taiwan Straits.

"Mr. Ku had held talks twice with president Wang Daohan of the (mainland-based) Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) to discuss issues relating to the benefits of compatriots on both sides of the straits. Mr. Ku had always abided by the 1992 Consensus and had done his best to promote cross-strait relations and consultation," said Chen.

In April 1993, Ku and his mainland counterpart Wang held in Singapore the first ever high-level, non-governmental talks between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits. The talks were known as the Wang-Ku meeting. The two met again in Shanghai in October 1998.

The meetings were made possible after the ARATS and the SEF reached a consensus in 1992 that "both sides across the Taiwan Straits stick to the 'one-China' principle", though each side may have their own interpretations.

During his 1998 visit to the mainland, Ku also met with then Chinese President Jiang Zemin and other senior government and Party officials in Beijing.

"I still have a fresh memory of our meeting in Beijing six years ago, when Mr. Ku proposed a toast for the well-being of all Chinese on both sides of the straits as well as for the reunification of China," said Chen.

"We firmly believe that compatriots on both sides of the straits will overcome all difficulties and resume the equal consultation between the two sides initiated from the Wang-Ku meetings," he added.

Also on Monday, the ARATS and its president Wang Daohan also sent condolence messages to the SEF and Ku's widow Yen respectively.

"It is our sincere hope that the SEF will uphold and carry forward its founding principles set forth by Mr. Ku, and join hands with the ARATS to promote the resumption of (cross-strait) consultation on the basis of the 1992 Consensus," said the ARATS in its message.

Wang, who composed his message in the style of classical Chinese prose, said that he was tremendously saddened by the loss of "such a great man" as Ku.

He praised Ku for having "committed himself to the cross-strait relations for as long as 14 years", and said that he and Ku had shared many understandings on issues regarding China's reunification.

Ku, a famous tycoon in Taiwan and also a veteran member of the Kuomintang party, became chairman of the Board of Supervisors of the SEF in 1990 and served on that post for four consecutive terms.

"We both regard the 1992 Consensus as a solemn promise to be kept all our lives," recalled Wang.

The 89-year-old Wang pointed out that "peace and reunification" are the only way out for the cross-strait relations, and called for the resumption of cross-strait consultation and dialogue on the basis of the 1992 Consensus to "make Mr. Ku rest in peace".

(Xinhua News Agency January 3, 2005)