Secessionist activities in Taiwan have become the greatest menace to national sovereignty and territorial integrity, but they are doomed to fail, President Hu Jintao said yesterday.

"The activities run counter to the Chinese nation's strong will to safeguard national unity. Such activities will get nowhere," Hu told political advisors attending the first annual session of the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

Hu observed that "Taiwan independence" activities have also become "the biggest obstacle to the development of cross-Straits relations, and the biggest threat to peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits".

He pledged that the mainland will make the utmost effort to do good for Taiwan compatriots and safeguard peace across the Taiwan Straits.

"We are committed to our pledges to Taiwan compatriots. We will never sway to temporary fluctuations of the situation, or change in response to a few individuals' deliberate provocations," the president said.

Hu said the mainland is ready to have exchanges, dialogue, consultations or negotiations with any political party in Taiwan, as long as they recognize that both sides of the Taiwan Straits belong to one China.

"Status in negotiations would be equal and the topics would be open; and any issue can be discussed," Hu said.

He renewed an offer to seal a peace treaty and "form a framework for the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations".

"We look forward to the formal end to the state of hostility across the Straits through joint efforts by both sides and consultations based on the one-China principle, and hope to reach a peace agreement and build a framework for the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations," he said.

(Xinhua News Agency March 5, 2008)