Vice Premier pledges continuation of policy on Taiwan
( 2003-01-25 10:45 ) (8 )

China will continue to implement President Jiang Zemin's eight-point proposal on the Taiwan issue and consistently promote cross-Strait relations towards peaceful reunification, Vice-Premier Qian Qichen said at a seminar held in Beijing on January 24.

The seminar was held to mark the eighth anniversary of President Jiang's speech entitled "Continue to Promote the Great Cause of the Reunification of the Motherland", which elucidated in a deep-going way eight points of views and propositions on the development of relations across Taiwan Strait.

Zeng Qinghong, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, attended the seminar.

Qian told the seminar that opening the "three direct links" of mail, trade, and transport services across the Strait conforms to the general trends of the times and people's aspirations and it is the most urgent task at present.

The vice-premier noted that opening the "three direct links" is a matter of the economic character and on no account should it be interfered and hindered by any political factors. Talks on opening the links are not political and, therefore, can avoid the political implication of "one China".