President Hu Jintao said yesterday that the Chinese people will do their best to pursue peaceful reunification but will never accept Taiwan independence.
He also acknowledged a recent easing of tensions across the Taiwan Strait and raised the possibility of regular direct flights between the mainland and the island province.
Hu's comments came during a panel discussion involving members of China's top advisory body who represent the Taiwan region.
The 2,000 delegates to the advisory body, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference's National Committee, are now holding their annual session in Beijing.
"Tremendous and complicated changes have taken place on Taiwan in recent years, and the intensified activities of secessionist forces have posed a grave impact on the peaceful and stable development of cross-strait relations," said Hu.
"The Taiwan authorities have deliberately provoked antagonism across the strait and tried every means to undermine the status quo that the mainland and Taiwan belong to one and the same China," said Hu.
The president acknowledged that some "new and positive factors" conducive to checking the "Taiwan independence" secessionist activities have emerged, and that "certain signs" of relaxed tensions are evident.
Hu set out a four-point guideline on the development of cross-strait relations "under the new circumstances."
"First, never sway in adhering to the one-China principle," he said. "Adherence to the one-China principle serves as the cornerstone for developing cross-strait relations and realizing peaceful reunification of the motherland."
"The sticking point in the development of cross-strait relations lies in the fact that the Taiwan authorities have refused to recognize the one-China principle," said the president.
Talks on all issues between the two sides can be resumed immediately if Taiwan authorities acknowledge the one-China principle, said Hu.
"Second, never give up efforts to seek peaceful reunification, " Hu told the CPPCC members. "A peaceful resolution of the Taiwan issue and peaceful reunification of the motherland conforms to the fundamental interests of compatriots across the Taiwan Strait and the Chinese nation, as well as the tide of peace and development in the world today."
Peaceful reunification does not mean that one side "swallows" the other but that the two sides confer on an equal footing, he stressed.
The third point the president underscored was "never to change the principle of placing hope on the Taiwan people," whom he called "our flesh-and-blood brothers."
Direct cross-strait charter flights, which occurred for the first time during this year's Spring Festival, could gradually develop into a regular practice, Hu suggested.
Fourth, Hu said that the Chinese people will "never compromise in opposing the Taiwan secessionist activities."
"Safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity is where a country's core interest lies. On no account shall the 1.3 billion Chinese people allow anyone to undermine China's sovereignty and territorial integrity," he stressed.