China's mainland will work out new measures for further enhancing exchanges between the two sides across the Taiwan Straits and promoting peaceful and steady development of cross-Straits relations, a senior Chinese mainland official in charge of Taiwan affairs said on Monday.

Sun Yafu, deputy director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, made the remarks at the 11th cross-Straits Academic Symposium on China's Modernization, which opened in Fuzhou, capital city of east China's Fujian Province, on Monday.

Sun disclosed that the new measures for enhancing cross-Straits exchanges and cooperation are concerned on mainland's lifting ban on residents' tour to Taiwan, operation of chartered passenger and cargo planes shuttling between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits, charges on Taiwan students who study at mainland's universities and presenting a pair of giant pandas as gifts to Taiwan compatriots, among others.

Sun said, great changes have taken place in the cross-Straits relations since the beginning of this year and facts have proved that a new situation can be created in the cross-Straits relations through concerted efforts of compatriots from both sides of the Taiwan Straits so long as the two sides adhere to the common stance of the "1992 Consensus" and of opposing "Taiwan independence" and act in accordance with the aim of safeguarding and developing the basic interest of the Chinese nation.

Sun said, efforts will continue to encourage and push forward exchanges between compatriots from both sides of the Taiwan Straits, enhance all-around cross-Straits economic cooperation and promote the process of the "three direct links", namely exchange of mail service, trade, air and shipping services across the Taiwan Straits.

China's mainland will continue to conduct exchanges and hold dialogues with various parties, social institutions and personages who uphold the "1992 Consensus" and oppose to the stance of "Taiwan independence", Sun said.

Efforts will be made to promote the resumption of cross-Straits dialogues and negotiations on the basis of the "1992 Consensus" so as to end the hostile situation across the Taiwan Straits and reach an agreement of peace through consultations, Sun said.

Sun said, these efforts contribute to the establishment of a framework for the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations, including a mechanism of military mutual trust, a mechanism of cross-Straits trade facilitation and liberalization, and discussing issues on participation of international activities by Taiwan which is a great concern of Taiwan compatriots.

Sun said, the biggest obstacle to the peaceful development of the cross-Straits relations is secessionists who advocate "Taiwan independence" and their secessionist activities, so it is a must to combat and curb "Taiwan independence" in order to safeguard the basic interests of compatriots of both sides of the Taiwan Straits.

The annual cross-Straits Academic Symposium on China's Modernization was first held in 1992 and has been held on both sides of the Taiwan Straits in turn. The symposium is held with the purpose of seeking scientific ways for China's modernization, providing talent support for and promoting deepened exchanges across the Taiwan Straits.

The current symposium attracted more than 70 experts and scholars from across the Straits, who would exchange views on cross-Straits cooperation in the agricultural and financial sectors in two days.

(Xinhua News Agency August 16, 2005)