President Hu Jintao's four-point guideline on Taiwan issue has helped cement the bedrock for the peaceful and stable development of mainland-Taiwan relations, several law makers and government advisers said yesterday, while a national parliamentary session spokesman warned of "severe challenges" to ties this year.

The guideline Hu put forward at a panel discussion of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee's annual session on March 4, 2005, "enriched the mainland's policies toward Taiwan and left a far-reaching impact on keeping peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait," said CPPCC National Committee member Shi Sihao, counselor of the All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots.

In the guideline, Hu said that the mainland will "never sway in adhering to the one-China principle, never give up efforts to seek peaceful reunification, never change the principle of placing hope on the Taiwan people, and never compromise in opposing 'Taiwan Independence."'

The four "nevers" were set forth in consideration of the actual cross-Strait relations and have benefited compatriots on both sides, said Shi.

Thanks to the mainland's active implementation of Hu's guideline, Shi said, the past two years witnessed deepened cooperation and exchanges between the two sides, featuring ice-breaking dialogues between the Communist Party of China and Taiwan-based Kuomintang, which was then followed by the People First Party and the New Party.

The two sides also saw improved cooperation in trade, tourism, education and other sectors.