"Settling the Taiwan question has been included as one of the three major tasks that the Chinese Communist Party and Chinese Government will achieve in the 21st century,'' said Zhang Mingqing, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office under the State Council.

"This determination, which reflects the will of the entire nation, has appeared in many official documents and has been reiterated by many government officials on different occasions. It is the inevitable direction."

Zhang was making the remarks in response to a question on whether Vice-Premier Qian Qichen's speech on September 10 about the mainland's policy of Taiwan question showed a relaxation of previous warnings that the Taiwan question could not be shelved for ever.

Qian said that Beijing could wait patiently if the Taiwan authorities were willing to settle the Taiwan question using the one-China policy, Zhang said. "But the context of the notion should not be ignored."

He said Qian also noted that reunification is the Chinese people's sacred historic mission, and we stick to the principles of one-China, cross-Straits talks and an early realization of direct post, transport and trade links -- or 'three links.'"

Beijing insists there is but one China in the world and the Chinese mainland and Taiwan are both part of this. The sovereignty and territory of China cannot be divided.

Commenting on Taipei's recent expression that it would relax restrictions on investment in the mainland, Zhang said Beijing is disappointed that no concrete measures have so far been taken by the Taiwan authority.

The cross-Straits panel of Taiwan's Economic Development Advisory Conference last month unanimously proposed that the "go slow, be patient" cross-Straits investment policy be replaced with "active opening, effective management."

The proposal would include scrapping the US$50 million cap on any single mainland-bound investment.

"We noticed that the people from all walks of life in Taiwan, including the business circle, called for an active opening of mainland-bound investment, and the opening of three links across the Taiwan Straits. The conference has reached a consensus on this issue."

"It indicates that economic and trade co-operation between the two sides have become the internal need and future direction of Taiwan's economy," said Zhang.

Under the current situation, opening the three links is the most urgent thing to develop the cross-Straits relations, especially economic and trade relations, and Taiwan's business circle will be the best beneficiaries, he said.

"But so far, no detailed measures have come out following the conference in Taiwan. The Taiwan authorities were still opposing some non-governmental agreements reached between Jinmen, Matsu on Taiwan side and Xiamen and Fuzhou on the mainland."

Zhang said even the mainland's suggestion to let mainland tourists visit Taiwan, a proposal that has been under discussion for more than a year, has reaped no positive results because of a lack of a formal response from the island.

In contrast, the mainland has opened up to tourists as well as investment from Taiwan for years.

(China Daily 09/27/2001)