President Jiang Zemin called on the Taiwan authorities Tuesday to put the national interest first, go with the tide of history and unequivocally accept the one-China principle.

"We are working for peaceful reunification with the greatest sincerity; we are also strongly determined to stop any attempt to split the country in the form of the 'Independence of Taiwan,'" Jiang said.

Jiang made the remarks at a grand meeting held here in commemoration of the 90th anniversary of the Revolution of 1911 led by Dr. Sun Yat-sen.

"Let me once again appeal to the Taiwan authorities to put the national interest first, conform to the tide of history, and unequivocally accept the one-China principle," Jiang said, stressing that "we urge them to conduct dialogue and negotiations under this principle, open up the three direct links (trade, mail, and air and shipping services) across the Taiwan Straits, and improve cross-strait relations."

Provided the Taiwan authorities accept the one-China principle, cross-strait negotiations can resume, and mutual exchange can make fresh progress, Jiang promised.

For our part, Jiang said that "we will continue to follow the basic policy of 'one country, two systems' and fully implement the eight-point proposal for developing cross-strait relations in the present circumstances to promote the reunification of the motherland. We will continue to facilitate dialogue and negotiations between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits under the one-China principle, increase exchanges and dialogue with parties of all types and people of all circles in Taiwan that oppose the 'Independence of Taiwan' and support reunification."

Great efforts will be made to promote the exchange of visits by people on both sides and support economic, cultural and all other kinds of exchanges, Jiang said, stressing that "we will do all we can to bring about peaceful reunification."

"A people will rise if it is unified; it will fall if it is divided," Jiang said, noting that "this is a truth that has been borne out by both past and present events."

Compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits are all Chinese and are bound together by flesh and blood, and all of them, no matter what party or organization they belong to, ought to share the great goals of peaceful reunification and national reinvigoration because attaining them will benefit the long-term development of the people of all ethnic groups, including those in Taiwan, Jiang said.

"If we keep these great goals in mind, we will have no reason not to discard our past enmity, overcome our objections to each other and discuss our differences," Jiang stressed.

He pointed out that the one-China principle is the foundation for the development of cross-strait relations and for the realization of peaceful reunification; we must not evade or obscure it. Any success we achieve now in opening the three direct links encouraging dialogue, and promoting peaceful reunification will have lasting benefits.

Jiang said that the Chinese people have a glorious tradition of safeguarding the unity of the motherland and for ages, this has served as a powerful force sustaining China's unity in the face of countless hardships.

"We firmly believe that through collective efforts of the sons and daughters of China, including our Taiwan compatriots, we will surely fulfill the sacred mission of reunifying the motherland," he said.

In his 3500-character speech, Jiang spoke highly of Dr. Sun and the revolution that overthrew the feudal government of Qing Dynasty.

He Luli, chairwoman of the Central Committee of Revolutionary Committee of Chinese Kuomintang, said at the meeting today that she believes that "so long as compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits join hands and make concerted efforts, Dr. Sun Yat-sen's magnificent unfinished wish for the reunification and rejuvenation of the motherland will be materialized on the Chinese soil."

Li Ruihuan, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, presided over the commemoration meeting. Other top Party and state leaders Li Peng, Zhu Rongji, Hu Jintao, Wei Jianxing, Li Lanqing and 6000 people from all walks of life attended the gathering.

Revolution of 1911

After the Opium War, Britain, the United States, France, Russia and Japan forced the Qing government to sign various unequal treaties, seized “concessions” and divided China into “spheres of influence.” To oppose the twin evils of feudal oppression and foreign aggression, the Chinese people waged heroic struggles, with many national heroes coming to the fore. The Revolution of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom in 1851, led by Hong Xiuquan, was the largest peasant uprising in modern Chinese history. The Revolution of 1911, a bourgeois-democratic revolution led by Dr. Sun Yat-sen, ended the rule of the Qing Dynasty. The monarchical system that had been in place in China for more than 2,000 years was discarded with the founding of the provisional government of the Republic of China. The Revolution of 1911 is of great significance in modern Chinese history. But the fruits of victory were soon compromised by concessions on the part of the Chinese bourgeoisie, and the country entered a period of domination by the Northern Warlords headed by Yuan Shikai. The people lived in an abyss of misery in this period.

( 10/09/2001)