Wang Daohan, president of the mainland-based Association for Relations Across
the Taiwan Straits(ARATS), met with visiting Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) party
Chairman Lien Chan and his delegation in Shanghai on Monday.
Wang thanked Lien for paying him a visit during the KMT delegation's stay in
Shanghai, and congratulated Lien on the achievements made by the KMT delegation
during its mainland tour.
Visiting Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) Party
Chairman Lien Chan (L) shakes hands with Wang Daohan (R), president of the
mainland-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits
(ARATS),during their meeting in east China's municipality Shanghai on May
2, 2005. [Xinhua]
The Lien's pose a photo with Wang during their
meeting in Shanghai, May 2, 2005. Shanghai is the last leg of Lien's
mainland tour. He and his delegation is leaving the mainland May 3.
[Xinhua] |
"We have worked very hard over the
past two decades to increase people-to-people contacts and improve political
relations across the Taiwan Straits, in an effort to live up to the aspirations
and expectations of Chinese compatriots on both sides," Wang said. "In doing so,
we have always harbored the good will of improving and pushing forward
cross-Straits relations."
Despite the political differences between the two sides across the Straits,
"we're all Chinese linked by the same blood and cultural background", said Wang.
"Therefore we should work together to promote peace, development and cooperation
in cross-Straits relations, strive for a win-win situation and contribute to the
glorious future of the Chinese nation."
Wang said the basis of his two meetings with Koo Chen-fu, late chairman of
the Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), in1992 and 1998
respectively, was the "1992 Consensus", which embodies the one-China principle.
This is a fact that can be proved by letters and telegrams exchanged between the
ARATS and SEF, as well as by reports of media organizations from both sides of
the Straits, he said.
"The Taiwan side will be able to find proper solutions to all the issues it
is concerned about as long as the two sides can resume talks on the basis of the
'1992 Consensus'," said Wang, adding that everything can be discussed in the
talks.
Wang also told Lien that the mainland was ready to join hands with the KMT
and any other political parties, groups and individuals in Taiwan that endorse
the '1992 Consensus' and oppose’ Taiwan independence,' to promote the peaceful
and steady development of cross-Straits relations.
The KMT delegation arrived in Shanghai on Sunday on the fourth and final leg
of its eight-day mainland tour.