The mainland hopes for peace and stability in Taiwan, Li Weiyi, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, told yesterday's news briefing.

"Taiwan compatriots are our flesh and blood," he said.

Commenting on the ongoing protests in Taipei to oust Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian, Li said: "We do not want to see any unfortunate events occur."

Chinese people on the mainland, together with Taiwan compatriots, will continue to strongly oppose "Taiwan independence" forces, while maintaining cross-Straits peace and stability and pushing for improved ties, he added.

The anti-Chen protests started on Saturday when more than 300,000 people took to the streets of Taipei to voice their contempt for Chen and his family members, who are embroiled in a string of corruption allegations.

Li warned of an intensified secessionist push by Chen during the rest of his term to woo diehard pro-independence forces.

The warning follows Taiwan failure in its bid to become a member of the UN for the 14th year running.

The embattled Taiwan leader, under mounting pressure to resign, has vowed to push for Taiwan's admission to the UN and write a new "constitution" for the island before his term ends in May 2008.

Li said Taiwan's latest application for UN membership is a "new and dangerous" step taken by Chen along the secessionist path.

"It further exposes his sinister motive to speed up secessionist activities."

The UN General Assembly's General Committee on Tuesday decided not to put the Taiwan issue on the agenda, turning down a request from some of the island's allies.

Since 1993, Taiwan has made annual bids to join the UN.

Li said the UN's latest rejection of Taiwan demonstrates that the majority of UN members believe there is only one China, and Taiwan, as a part of China, is not qualified to join the UN in any name or through any means.

Li also denounced Chen's attempt to pursue "de jure independence" through so-called "constitutional reform."

A resolution adopted in 1971 at the 26th UN General Assembly granted the People's Republic of China full legal status in the UN.

Also at the press conference, Li said the leaders of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC)?and the State Council have expressed their condolences to the families of two Taiwan tourists who died in a road accident on the mainland.

Li expressed his profound condolences to the families of the dead and wished those injured a speedy recovery.

The accident occurred at 9:45 AM Monday on a highway in Wangqing County when 20 Taiwan tourists were traveling from Heilongjiang Province to Jilin Province. The bus overturned and plunged into a river on the Songlao Highway.

Two women tourists and the mainland bus driver were killed. The dead tourists were Lin Ching-miao, 62, and Leu Hsiu-ching, 66. The other 18 tourists were injured in the accident.

Turning to business issues, Li said the mainland will help Taiwan firms that meet the relevant requirements to list on mainland exchanges.

Asked whether the Olympic torch relay would pass through Taiwan, Li said the mainland hopes that Taiwan people can share the moment.

"We are considering Taiwan compatriots' desire to design the Olympic torch relay route," Li said, adding that the route is subject to approval by the International Olympic Committee.

Li said Taiwan enterprises such as Uni-President Group are taking part in Olympics-related projects and some Taiwan companies have contacted the Beijing Organizing Committee about cooperation opportunities.

With regard to mainlanders visiting the island, Li said that mainland authorities have urged for a timely response from Taiwan to their proposal of starting consultations on the issue.

"We are looking forward to early liaison between Taiwan authorities and a suitable non-governmental organization on the island regarding mainlanders' visits to Taiwan.

"We will propose consultations as soon as a suitable non-governmental tourist organization has been set up on the island," Li said. "We have an open attitude on the issue."

Negotiations could be held on the mainland, in Taiwan, in Hong Kong or Macao, he added.

According to Li, the mainland is fully prepared for mainlanders visiting Taiwan.

Shao Qiwei, head of the China Tourist Association, led a study group to Taiwan from October 28 to November 6, 2005, which paved the way for the opening of tourist routes to the island.

Mainland authorities subsequently published regulations on traveling to Taiwan on April 16 this year.

At the first executive meeting of the cross-Straits tourist exchange association held on August 17, it was announced that preparations for promoting mutual tourist exchanges across the Taiwan Straits were completed.

The central government authorized mainland residents to visit Taiwan in May 2005.

Li also told the press briefing that the Cross-Straits Agricultural Cooperation Forum will be held from October 17 to 18 in Bo'ao, Hainan Province.

Li said the forum could not be convened in Taiwan as originally planned because their authorities would not allow mainland delegates to attend.

The CPC and the Kuomintang (KMT) Party had been working hard to hold the forum in Taiwan.

"We have accepted the suggestion by the KMT Party to hold a series of cross-Straits agricultural cooperation activities on the mainland," Li announced.

These activities include an exhibition on cross-Straits agricultural cooperation achievements. This will be held in Xiamen, Fujian Province on October 19. Taiwan delegates will also be invited to inspect some pilot agricultural projects in Shandong, Guangdong and Guangxi.

In other announcements, Li said that news exchange and cooperation across the Taiwan Straits will proceed more smoothly after the promulgation of new measures concerning?overseas news agencies' release of news and information in China.

The measures, which went into effect on September 10, will apply to the release of news and information on the mainland by news agencies and similar organizations in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Macao Special Administrative Region and Taiwan.

"These measures were formulated and promulgated by Xinhua News Agency in accordance with relevant regulations of the State Council to promote the dissemination of news and information in a sound and orderly manner.

"The measures protect the rights and interests of relevant parties, including intellectual property rights," Li said.

(Xinhua News Agency, China Daily September 14, 2006)