Soong says talks with Hu biggest gain of his visit
13/5/2005 7:52
Visiting Chairman James CY Soong of the People First Party (PFP) in Taiwan
said Thursday that the biggest achievement of his mainland trip was his talks
with general secretary Hu Jintao of the Central Committee of the Communist Party
of China (CPC). Soong made the remarks when meeting the press of the Chinese
mainland that he and Hu had a "thorough" and "face-to-face" discussion and
reached consensus on many issues. The two sides agreed to such a keynote that
"people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits are of one family and we all are
descendants of the Chinese nation" and "we must unswervingly stick to the one
China principle and hold firmly to the stance of opposing 'Taiwan
independence'," he said. "Only by sticking to this stance can we promote
communication and reconciliation between the two sides of the Straits," he
said. He said he was "inspired" because he and general secretary Hu had
reached consensus on several issues, including taking gradual steps to realize
"comprehensive and direct two-way air service" between Taiwan and the mainland
in 2006. Besides, they had discussed such issues as cross-Straits free trade
zone and protection of legitimate rights of Taiwan business people. Soong
said that thanks to the "resolution" and "determination" of general secretary
Hu, chairman Lien Chan of the Kuomintang (KMT) Party of China and himself were
able to visit the mainland. "The world has seen from our historic visits that
the people on both sides of the Straits have the wisdom and capability to manage
well our own business."
Xinhua news
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