Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said Sunday that China will never allow anyone to separate Taiwan from the motherland by any means and will strive for peaceful reunification with the utmost sincerity and greatest efforts.

Wen said at a press conference shortly after the legislature's annual session that the referendum scheduled for March 20 in Taiwan, sponsored by the Taiwan authorities for Taiwan independence under the pretext of democracy, poses a threat to stability across the Taiwan Straits, and challenges the universally acknowledged one-China principle.

The premier said he appreciated the international opposition to the referendum, and the open statement on the one-China principle made by the international community, including the United States, is conducive to maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits.

Wen added he appreciated very much the position declared in public by US President George W. Bush on Dec. 9, 2003. President Bush voiced opposition to unilateral attempt to change the status quo across the Taiwan Straits and to the so-called referendum.

"I hope the United States and other countries would honor their commitment to the one-China principle, and make due contribution to maintaining stability across the Taiwan Straits and to China's peaceful reunification," Wen said.

The Taiwan issue, left over from China's civil war, is the internal affairs of China, and will eventually be resolved by the Chinese people on their own. There is one China in the world, both the mainland and Taiwan belong to one China, and the sovereignty and territorial integrity can never be separated.

The premier said China has sovereignty over Taiwan, and this has been clearly stated in the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation, and is universally accepted by the international community.

Wen said he would like to have his message taken to Taiwanese compatriots that there is only one China in the world, and the Taiwan Straits can never sever the "blood relations" shared by Chinese both on the mainland and in Taiwan.

The mainland will strive to maintain stability across the Straits with the utmost efforts and push for direct mail service, trade, air and shipping services across the Straits, as well as cross-Straits economic, cultural and personnel exchanges, the premier said.

The mainland will strive for an early resumption of cross-Straits dialogue and negotiations under the one-China principle and for the eventual peaceful reunification of the motherland, he said.

On the issue of Hong Kong, Wen said, the central government will do everything conducive to the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and to the common development of Hong Kong and the interior of China.

Wen reiterated that the central government will unsparingly uphold the principles of "one country, two systems," "Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong" and a high degree of autonomy, as well as the Basic Law of Hong Kong.

On China's relations with the other parts of the world, Wen said, "China does not seek hegemony now, nor will it seek hegemony even after it became powerful in the future."

China has a history of 5,000 years with both glorious achievements and humiliating sufferings, and the rise of China has been the dream of generations of Chinese, Wen said.

China will take full advantage of the good opportunity of world peace to develop itself and at the same time safeguard world peace with its development.

The premier said China's rise will be based on its own strength and self reliance, as well as the vast domestic market, abundant human resources and abundant natural resources.

Noting China's rise could not be achieved without the rest of the world, Wen said the country must always maintain its open policy and always develop economic and trade exchanges with all friendly countries on the basis of equality and mutual benefits.

China's rise, which would require a long period of time and probably efforts of several generations, will not stand in the way of any other country, nor pose threat to any other country, nor at the cost of any other country, Wen said.

(Xinhua News Agency March 14, 2004)