The Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Kuomintang (KMT) party will work jointly for the implementation of their consensus reached last year on the cross-Straits relations, said a senior official in Beijing on March 29.

    "At their last April's historical meeting, CPC General Secretary of the Central Committee Hu Jintao and then KMT Chairman Lien Chan jointly issued a communique, which represents the agreements made between the two parties," said Li Weiyi, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, at a regular news conference regarding KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou's recent remarks on the cross-Straits relations.     

    The joint press communique on the "common aspiration and prospects for cross-Straits peace and development" signed between Hu and Lien has clearly defined the common ground of sticking to the "1992 Consensus," opposing "independence of Taiwan," seeking cross-Straits stability, promoting the development of cross-Straits relations and safeguarding the interests of the people on both sides of the Straits.

    Li Weiyi said that the KMT also included the above-mentioned principles into its policy guidelines at its party congress last year, and expressed its willingness to promote peaceful and prosperous relationship between the two sides.

    He also said the two parties would work jointly for discussion of Taiwan's participation in international activities to begin after the resumption of cross-Straits dialogue based on the "1992 Consensus."

    Taiwan authorities urged to remove obstacles to cross-strait exchanges

    The Chinese mainland urged Taiwan authorities to remove the obstacles to the cross-strait exchanges.

    Referring to Taiwan authorities' rejection of mainland actors' visit to Taiwan, Li said that it shows Taiwan authorities have set up unreasonable obstacles to the exchanges across the Taiwan Straits.

    "The mainland always has a positive attitude towards cross-strait economic exchanges, as well as cultural and educational exchanges," said Li.

    "We have supported and facilitated Taiwan actors and Taiwan compatriots to conduct exchanges and cooperation by various means in mainland," Li added.

    He urges Taiwan authorities to promptly change their attitude to satisfy the will of the people from both sides of the Taiwan Straits.

    Earlier this month, Taiwan authorities rejected the application of two mainland actors Zhang Guoli and his son Zhang Mo to visit Taiwan for "security" reasons, while a local TV station in Taipei began screening their drama serial "Young Emperor Jiaqing" then.

Cross-Straits negotiations urged to avoid double taxation on businessmen

    The central government hopes that the relevant trade organizations across the Taiwan Straits will hold talks to work out ways shortly to avoid double taxation on Taiwanese businessmen.

    "In order to safeguard the interests of Taiwanese businessmen, we hope that cross-Straits trade organizations can exchange views and reach consensus as soon as possible, in a bid to resolve the issue of double taxation," said Li.

    During the talks between Hu Jintao, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, and James Soong, chairman of the People First Party (PFP) in Taiwan, in May last year, an agreement was reached that the two parties would promote cross-Straits negotiations on how to avoid double taxation on Taiwanese business people.

    Mainland welcomes visits of DPP members in appropriate capacities

    "The majority of DPP members are different from a very few diehard 'Taiwan independence' proponents. We welcome them to visit the mainland and engage in exchanges in appropriate capacities," said Li.

    Li reiterated the mainland position that "no matter who he is and no matter what he said or did in the past, we are willing to engage in exchanges and contact with him on developing across-Straits relations as long as he accepts the one China principle."

    During the annual session of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in March, the committee's chairman Jia Qinglin asked several CPPCC members whether they ever contacted extreme "Taiwan independence" personnel during their visits to Taiwan.

    Jia expressed approval of contact with them so as to introduce to them the relevant mainland principles and policies and guide them to correctly view and handle issues in across-Straits relations, said the spokesman.

    Mainland wishes Taiwan to accept donated pandas

    The Chinese mainland wishes the Taiwan authorities can accept the two innocent donated giant pandas and don't politicize the issue.

    "It all depends on Taiwan authorities whether the giant pandas can arrive in Taiwan," said Li.

    The mainland has donated two pandas to Taiwan symbolizing unity, friendship and peace, which is welcomed by Taiwan people. But recently, some personages in Taiwan declared that the giant pandas should live a free life in nature, a reporter said.

    "From a professional perspective, both protection of natural habitat for endangered species and artificial propagation and breeding of them are important," Li said.

    The mainland wildlife protection agencies and researchers have made outstanding achievements in protecting giant pandas, he said.

    Currently, there are more than 1,800 giant pandas living in wild habitat and 180-plus giant pandas in captivity, he said.

    Li said the two giant pandas embody links of flesh and blood between compatriots of the two sides.

    A Chinese idiom "Fen Qin Zhu He" says the brutal actions to burn the musical instrument which can play melodious music and boil the crane, a noble bird, to eat.

    On the issue of donated pandas, we hope that no similar brutal actions happen to destroy the good feelings between compatriots on the two sides, he said.
  Lien Chan to participate in cross-Straits forum

    The Kuomingtang Honorary Chairman Lien Chan will participate in a forum on economic and trade affairs in Beijing, said Li.

    The Communist Party of China (CPC) and the KMT agreed here on March 22 that a forum on economic and trade affairs between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan will be held in Beijing from April 14 to 15.

    A reporter said at the regular conference that Lien mentioned he would go back to his hometown to sweep his ancestral tomb in spring during an interview with Hong Kong media in January.

    The reporter asked whether Lien will go back to his hometown and sweep his ancestral tomb and what the mainland will do.

    If Lien Chan wishes to go back to his hometown to pay respects to his ancestors, the mainland will try to help him fulfil his wish, Li said.

    Interference in cross-Straits economic co-op unpopular

    Any restriction on or interference in cross-Straits economic cooperation against laws of the economy and out of political purposes is unpopular, Li said.

    "Such restrictions and interventions will impair Taiwan's economy and the immediate interests of Taiwan people, which is clearly showed in the opposition to and criticism of the Taiwan authorities by public opinion and industry and commerce circles," said Li.

    Li made the remarks in response to a question on Taiwan authorities' recent plan to restrict cross-Straits economic cooperation.

    "We have noticed the related reports," he said, stressing, "To strengthen cross-Straits economic cooperation conforms to the common aspiration and fundamental interests of people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits, which is our consistent stance and we'll take measures for its further promotion."

    "Taiwan' current economic development is inseparable from cross-Straits trade and economic cooperation," he added.