Chinese President Hu Jintao's recent remarks on relations with Taiwan are applauded by the public as a gesture of sincerity and an important principle to promote the peaceful development of cross-Straits ties.

Beijing University professor Li Yihu said Hu's speech was a "systematic and complete" statement on how to promote cross-Straits relations under current circumstances.

Hu, addressing political advisors attending the first annual full session of the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) on Tuesday, pledged that the mainland will make utmost efforts to do a good job in anything that is good to the Taiwan compatriots and conducive to safeguarding peace in the Taiwan Straits and promoting the peaceful reunification of the motherland.

He noted that secessionist activities in Taiwan have become the greatest menace to China's national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and such activities are doomed to fail.

"It is in line with the current situation of cross-Straits ties and conforms to the common aspiration and fundamental interests of Chinese people from both sides of the Taiwan Straits," said Liu Yiming, a member of 11th National Committee of the CPPCC, and former vice chairman of the central committee of Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League.

Li Xiaodong, representing the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang, agreed peaceful development of cross-Straits ties is the only way to benefit Chinese compatriots on the two sides of the Straits. "Secessionist activities could only lead to disasters," he said.

"People in Taiwan will certainly uphold Hu's resolution in unswervingly promoting peaceful development of cross-Straits ties, " said Zhang Jiaji, a Guangzhou-based official representing the Taiwan Democratic Self-government League.

Such ties are seriously undermined by the rampant activities by secessionist forces in the island, he noted.

"We believe these forces will be increasingly isolated, and their secessionist activities will eventually end in failure," said Lan Xiaolan, from Xiamen, the city that faces Taiwan across the Straits.

The mainland side has offered a number of preferential policies in recent years in favor of Taiwan compatriots, said Chen Yunying, a deputy to the 11th National People's Congress, China's top legislative body.

"Hu said the commitment to Taiwan compatriots will not waver despite temporal changes of the situation and interferences by a few people," said Chen. "I believe all the Taiwan people will clearly feel his affection."

Hu's speech triggered heated discussion on the website of Nankai University in Tianjin, where many students left postings that spoke highly of the president's sincerity in boosting ties and seeking benefits for the Chinese compatriots on both sides of the Straits.

"It's a clear gesture that we're broad-minded and ready to proceed from a long-term perspective," one of the postings reads.

(Xinhua News Agency March 6, 2008)