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Taiwan independence doomed: Chinese expert

ROC Central News Agency

2009/11/13 14:17:21
Taipei, Nov. 13 (CNA) A former vice president of the Central Party School of the Communist Party of China said Friday in Taipei that Taiwanese efforts to seek independence are doomed to wane because most people in Taiwan expect continuous development in cross-Taiwan Strait relations.

"To this day, the contest between seeking independence and anti-independence has yet to end, " Zheng Bijian said at a seminar in Taipei titled "60 Years Across the Taiwan Strait." "However, because mainstream public opinion wants a continuous, peaceful and stable development of cross-strait relations, efforts to seek independence are doomed to decline and fall," he added.

Zheng is leading a group of heavyweight Chinese experts on Taiwan affairs attending the Nov. 13-14 seminar, which is being organized by the Taipei-based Pacific Cultural Foundation.

Their visit is attracting a lot of attention, as they will exchange views with their Taiwanese counterparts on issues related to cross-strait relations, including political and national security matters, although it was not clear exactly what political issues will be discussed.

According to Zheng, "a new type of cross-strait relationship" is gradually developing, as the two sides are moving from military confrontation and isolation toward dialogue, exchanges and cooperation.

Noting that China made a major policy shift 30 years ago to embark on a policy of reform and opening-up, Zheng said that the principle of "one country, two systems" and "peaceful unification" were established to resolve cross-strait problems left from the civil war through dialogue and negotiation, and to seek peaceful co-existence and development.

"We sternly oppose Taiwan seeking independence, but the Taiwanese people's ideology of loving their hometown and their land and seeking to be their own masters is absolutely not equal to being pro-independence," Zheng said.

Pointing out that last year, Chinese President Hu Jintao outlined six points to be the guidelines for promoting peaceful development between Taiwan and China, Zheng said that a critical moment for opening a new era of cross-strait relations is coming.

He expressed hope that both sides will work together to welcome this new stage in relations that will not only be peaceful and stable, but also full of exchanges, cooperation and development.

(By Chang Ming-kun and Rachel Chan) ENDITEM/J