People's Daily hails cross-Strait relations over 35 years

The People's Daily, flagship newspaper of the Communist Party of China (CPC), published an article to commemorate the development of cross-Strait relations over the last 35 years.

The article in the newspaper's Tuesday edition to mark the 35th anniversary of the announcement of the Message to Compatriots in Taiwan, was published under the byline of Zhang Zhijun, director of the Taiwan Work Office of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office.

In the article, Zhang hailed the achievements in the development of relations between the mainland and Taiwan since the announcement.

The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress issued the Message to Compatriots in Taiwan on Jan. 1, 1979.

In this statement, the mainland first proposed an end to military confrontation across the Taiwan Strait through dialog and welcomed exchanges between the two sides.

Over the following 35 years, cross-Strait ties have overcome difficulties and achieved important progress, Zhang said, adding that after the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee decided to cement and deepen the peaceful development of cross-Strait ties, bringing relations between the two sides to a new stage.

Zhang also stressed insistence of the one-China principle and fortifying the common political foundation for cross-Strait development.

Throughout the past 35 years, the mainland has upheld the one-China principle as the basis and prerequisite for cross-Strait development and peaceful reunification. The mainland has also opposed "Taiwan independence" secessions in all forms, the article said.

In 2005, the CPC and the Kuomintang Party also reached an agreement on joint efforts to oppose "Taiwan independence" and adhere to the "1992 Consensus," defining the common condition for communications between the two parties, Zhang noted.

Moreover, Zhang appreciated the achievements in exchanges between the people on the two sides.

n the first year after the two sides ended years of estrangement in late 1987, a total of 450,000 Taiwan compatriots visited the mainland, while this year, the number of people travelling across the Strait is expected to top 8 million, the official said.

In the 26 years since November 1987, a total of 76.39 million Taiwan residents visited the mainland and 11.66 million mainlanders have traveled to the island.

Economic cooperation has been enhanced, particularly after the two sides signed the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement, making stable progress in the promotion of economic integrity between the two sides, according to Zhang.

As of October this year, cross-Strait trade has totaled 1.6 trillion U.S. dollars. The mainland has approved over 89,000 business projects from Taiwan and total investment from the island to the mainland has exceeded 58.8 billion U.S. dollars.

Mainland enterprises have also invested about 1 billion U.S. dollars in Taiwan since 2009.

Moreover, the article praised the cultural exchanges, cross-Strait negotiations and joint efforts to handle sensitive issues between the two sides.

The continuous development of the Chinese mainland has determined the basic pattern and direction of cross-Strait relations, and the peaceful development of cross-Strait ties is in line with the common will of the public on the two sides as well as the fundamental interests of the Chinese nation, the article said.

Compatriots on the two sides should unite and strive together to create a better situation for the nation's peaceful reunification, it said.