"The premier raised his voice when coming to the Taiwan issue, " "his tone is firm, filled with feelings." "His speech on Taiwan received the loudest and longest applauses."

"Premier Zhu's speech is excellent, especially on Taiwan issue, " said Wei Lihui whose ancestral home is in Changhua of Taiwan. " The part on Taiwan is short, but weighty."

The deputies showed particular interest in what Premier Zhu said about settling the Taiwan issue at the earlier possible date" and "doing everything possible to strive for a peaceful reunification".

This shows the determination and confidence of the central government, they agreed.

Chen Guizhou, vice-president of the All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots, said that, with unremitting efforts of all Chinese, including those overseas, the reunification of the motherland will certainly be realized at an early date.

"It is absolutely unpopular to advocate for Taiwan independence," chimed in Fan Zengsheng, who returned from Taiwan to settle in the mainland in 1980. "Many of what the premier said could be understood and accepted by the people in Taiwan."

While discussing together with other deputies, Prof. Liang Yanjun at the Tianjin Institute of Finance and Economics, was thinking about how to tone up to the spirit of the speech of the premier her motion on cultural exchanges between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits.

"I'm going to review my motion in the spirit of the premier's speech," said Prof. Liang, whose ancestral home is in Tainan on the Taiwan Island.

The wheels of the luxury coach were rolling on and so were the discussions of the deputies of Taiwan origin. No one ever departed from the topic until the coach jerked to a stop in front of the Beijing Commercial Business Center.

(People’s Daily 03/05/2001)