"On behalf of the mainland compatriots, especially compatriots in quake-hit areas, I would like to express our sincere appreciation and thanks to our compatriots in Taiwan," Chinese President Hu Jintao called for peaceful relations with Taiwan
- From: Chim <ChimS1@xxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 28 May 2008 03:19:30 -0700 (PDT)
China's Hu calls for peace with Taiwan during historic meeting by Sam
Yeh
1 hour, 10 minutes ago
BEIJING (AFP) - Chinese President Hu Jintao called for peaceful
relations with Taiwan as he met the head of the island's ruling party
here Wednesday in the highest-level contact since the two sides split
in 1949.
Putting aside decades of tensions that have made the Taiwan Strait one
of the world's potential flashpoints, Hu shook hands with Kuomintang
(KMT) chairman Wu Poh-hsiung during a red carpet welcome at the Great
Hall of the People.
The pair then posed with their accompanying delegations for an
historic photograph before heading into their meeting, with the events
broadcast on China's state-controlled television.
"Based on the past exchanges and communications between the two
parties, and under the new situation, I hope we can promote cross-
strait relations, exchange our opinions and look to the future, and
push forward the peaceful development of cross-strait relations," Hu
said in his opening remarks to the meeting.
Wu in turn said the Chinese and Taiwanese should make sure that their
people never take up arms against each other again, in comments that
also touched on the massive earthquake in China's southwest this
month.
"We cannot guarantee there won't be any natural disasters any more on
both sides of the straits, but through our mutual efforts, we can
ensure there is no war," he said.
Wednesday's meeting is part of a dramatic easing of tensions between
China and Taiwan in recent months.
The Kuomintang's defeat of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive
Party in Taiwan's presidential polls in March has been the trigger for
the rapprochement.
Ma Ying-jeou, who was sworn in as president last week, has taken a
much more conciliatory approach with China than his predecessor, Chen
Shui-bian, whose pro-independence rhetoric angered the mainland's
communist leadership.
For decades, the KMT and China's Communist Party were the most bitter
of Cold War foes, but the KMT has in recent years staked out a
platform of reconciliation.
China and Taiwan split at the end of a civil war in 1949, with the KMT
nationalist forces retreating to the island after the communists took
control of the mainland.
China remains determined to bring Taiwan back into its political fold,
and repeatedly warned during Chen's eight years in power that it was
prepared to use force to do so.
In some of the most significant developments of the recent thaw, Ma
has pledged to deepen economic links between the two sides, vowed not
to enter an arms race, and pushed for a restart of a formal bilateral
dialogue.
Taiwan said last week the bilateral talks, which have not been held
for more than a decade, would resume next month with the aim of
building closer trade and tourism links with Beijing.
Key issues would be starting weekend passenger charter and cargo
flights as well as allowing more Chinese tourists to visit Taiwan.
Taiwanese press reported that China and Taiwan would officially
announce the restart of the dialogue following their meeting on
Wednesday.
China has also warmly welcomed Taiwan's help in providing medical aid
and other relief following the earthquake that hit the southwestern
province of Sichuan on May 12, and Hu again expressed gratitude.
"The loving heart and heart-rending behaviour of the Taiwan
compatriots deeply moved us," he said in his opening remarks.
"On behalf of the mainland compatriots, especially compatriots in
quake-hit areas, I would like to express our sincere appreciation and
thanks to our compatriots in Taiwan."
Before meeting Hu, Wu visited the National Stadium, known as the
Bird's Nest, which has been built for the Beijing Olympics.
On Tuesday, he visited the mausoleum of Chinese revolutionary leader
Sun Yat-sen in the eastern city of Nanjing.
That visit was highly symbolic as Sun remains a revered political
figure for people in both Taiwan and the mainland.
.
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