On Sunday morning, Wang Daohan, president of the
Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), spoke
highly of the stance of the People First Party (PFP) to adhere to
the "one-China" principle and oppose "Taiwan
independence."
During his meeting with visiting PFP Chairman James Soong in
Shanghai, Wang said it's positive that the PFP remained committed
to the "1992 Consensus" and that people on both sides of the Taiwan
Straits are "as close as flesh and blood."
"There is no enmity that cannot be dissolved, nor prejudice that
cannot be thrown away," Wang said. "Peace and development are
commendable and the revitalization of the Chinese nation is all the
more important."
On resumption of cross-Straits dialogue and talks, Wang said the
government has always taken a clear cut stand that the mainland and
Taiwan both belong to one China.
Soong said that people in Taiwan highly respect Wang for his
contribution to peace and development across the Straits.
Before a lunch later on Sunday, Soong told a group of Taiwan
businesspeople operating in the Yangtze Delta region of east China
that his party firmly opposes secession because it would only lead
to warfare and disaster.
"'Taiwan Independence' has never been an option for us," Soong
said.
He reiterated that since its founding in 2000, the PFP has kept
to the "1992 Consensus," which "serves the interests of people on
both sides of the Taiwan Straits and allows them to resolve the
issue calmly."
Soong praised the successful visit to the mainland by Kuomintang
(KMT) Chairman Lien Chan, saying that "the PFP and KMT share the
common aspiration and major principles on the cross-Straits issue
but proceed from different angles."
(Xinhua News Agency May 8, 2005)
