Cross-Straits symposium moves relations forward

A symposium on cross-Straits relations and national rejuvenation was held on Monday morning in Beijing. About 100 people from across the Taiwan Straits attended the meeting, including Liu Jieyi, head of the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office and Hung Hsiu-chu, former chairwoman of the Kuomintang party.

The symposium was co-organized by the Center for the Study of Cross-Straits Relations in the mainland and the Chinese Cyan Geese Peace Education Foundation in Taiwan.

The participants reached a positive consensus and put forward joint initiatives through dialogue and consultation, the mainland's Taiwan Affairs Office said in a statement on Monday.

Both sides should join hands to achieve national rejuvenation, and in the process of national rejuvenation Taiwan compatriots should not and will not be absent, the statement read.

The two sides agreed adhering to the 1992 Consensus, the one-China principle and opposing "Taiwan independence" are the political foundation for the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations, it said.

They called on people from both sides to cherish and consolidate this foundation, strengthen exchanges and consultation and jointly safeguard overall peace and stability.

According to the statement, the mainland will continue to share development opportunities with Taiwan compatriots and actively institutionalize cross-Straits economic cooperation so as to increase people's sense of gain, honor and happiness.

Cultural exchanges and the communications between young people on both sides will continue to be strengthened.

Hung Hsiu-chu, the former chair of the KMT, led a delegation from various circles in Taiwan to visit Beijing from Sunday to Wednesday.