The Chinese mainland is "surely able to do what it says" in preventing secessionist forces from splitting Taiwan from China, said Jia Qinglin, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), on Saturday.

"We're determined to and capable of doing this, and we have ways to do so," Jia, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, told a joint panel discussion of the ongoing annual session of the country's top advisory body.

"With utmost sincerity and endeavor, we are resolved to strive for the peaceful and steady development of the relations across the Taiwan Straits, and for the prospect of peaceful reunification, " he said. In the meantime, Jia said, to safeguard state sovereignty and territorial integrity is where the nation's fundamental interests lie.

"We can never tolerate 'Taiwan independence' and will never compromise in opposing secessionist activities," Jia noted.

For his self-interest, however, the leader of Taiwan has strained cross-Straits relations this year by overtly pressing ahead with his "Taiwan independence" line to challenge the universally accepted one-China principle in the international community, Jia said.

Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian announced on Monday to cease the function of the "National Unification Council" and cease the application of the council's guidelines on unifying with the mainland.

Jia pointed out that secessionists are going against the common aspiration of Chinese compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits.

The Fourth Session of the Tenth National Committee of the CPPCC opened in Beijing on Friday and will last about ten days.

(Xinhua News Agency March 5, 2006)