Activities of "gradual independence of Taiwan" carried out by
leaders of Taiwan authorities with an aim to deliberately create
opposition along Taiwan Straits is unpopular and will never
succeed, said State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan Monday.
Tang made these remark at a grand reception in celebration of
the 54th founding anniversary of new China, which was attended by
more than 1,600 people, including overseas Chinese, Hong Kong,
Macao and Taiwanese compatriots as well as Chinese national friends
residing worldwide.
The accomplishment for the complete reunification of the
motherland is the common aspiration and historical responsibility
of the entire Chinese people, including Taiwan compatriots, Tang
said, noting that China will consistently adhere to the principles
of "peaceful reunification" and "one country, two systems" and
Jiang Zemin's eight-point proposal for resolving the Taiwan
issue.
China will, as always, support the patriotic actions of the
overseas Chinese people' in opposition to "Taiwan independence" and
to promote the reunification of the motherland, he said.
China now has entered into a new period of all-round
construction of Xiaokang, or a relatively prosperous society, and
accelerated growth of socialist modernization, Tang said,
acknowledging that guided by the Deng Xiaoping theory and the
important thought of the "three represents", the Chinese
government, focused on economic development, will advance the
reform and opening further the country to the outside world and
socialist cause with Chinese characteristics.
Meanwhile, since their return to the motherland, Hong Kong and
Macao has implemented in a comprehensive way "one country, two
systems" and "Hongkong people governing Hong Kong" and "Macao
people governing Macao", and a high degree of autonomy, he noted.
The central government will give its steadfast, all-out support to
the administration by law of the Hong Kong and Macao special
administrative regions (ARS) by the two chief executives and the
two governments firmly safeguard the social stability of Hong Kong
and Macao and help the two ARS to revitalize their economy.
The Chinese government has all along been pursuing an
independent foreign policy of peace, and China, full of vigor and
vitality, is a staunch force in defense of the world peace, he
said, expressing the hope that the overseas Chinese, compatriots of
Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan and foreign Chinese friends will join
efforts to boost China's development and world peace, prosperity
and progress.
(Xinhua News Agency September 29, 2003)