Chen Yunlin, director of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, met with Taiwan's Kuomintang Party Vice Chairman Lin Yi-shih on Thursday.

Chen said at the meeting that thanks to concerted efforts by the two parties and people, cross-Straits relations were moving toward peaceful development and activities by Taiwan separatist forces were being checked.

But he warned that separatists still pose risks through trying to seek independence by way of so-called "constitutional change."

Chen hoped that the youth across the Taiwan Strait would work for the Chinese nation's rejuvenation and bear the historical responsibilities to fight the separatists and promote cross-Straits peace and development.

Lin, also head of the Chinese Kuomintang Youth League (Young KMT), said the youth's actions would decide the future of cross-Straits relations. He hoped the youth from the Chinese mainland and Taiwan would have profound exchanges at the forum.

The forum, which opened on Friday, is the first meeting co-sponsored by the KMT Youth League and the Chinese Communist Youth League (CCYL).

The two sides will publish a "Cross-Straits Youth Forum Consensus" at the end of the gathering, which is aimed at deepening cooperation and exchanges between young people across the Taiwan Strait in the fields of economy, trade, science and technology.

(Xinhua News Agency December 15, 2006)