He Luli, vice-chairwoman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress (NPC), said?Thursday that cross-Straits relations have entered a new development stage featuring peace and stability.

Thanks to a series of proactive, practical, flexible and effective measures of the Communist Party of China Central Committee in 2005, cross-Straits relations have developed towards peace and stability despite disturbances caused by the Taiwan authorities, she said.

He, also chairwoman of the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang, made the remarks at a New Year gathering of the party.

The four points on developing cross-Straits relations made by President Hu Jintao and the Anti-Secession Law have dealt a forceful blow to Taiwan separatist forces, she said.

Visits to the mainland last year by leaders of Taiwan's major parties, the Kuomintang Party, People First Party and New Party, have initiated new ways of exchanging ideas for cross-Straits parties and deepened mutual understanding.

But she also stressed that the Taiwan authorities' desire for independence has not changed and that the danger of seeking independence through so-called "constitutional revision" still exists.

"The struggle against the Taiwan separatists is still arduous," she said.

She urged the people across the Taiwan Straits to stick to the one-China principle and work with overseas Chinese to oppose and curb Taiwan separatists and safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
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(Xinhua News Agency January 13, 2006)