In 2008, the Chinese mainland will make strong efforts to achieve bright prospects for relations across the Taiwan Strait, according to Chen Yunlin, a leading official in charge of cross-strait affairs, in an article to be published in the year's No.1 Issue of the Cross Strait Relations magazine.

This will be an extremely important year for Chinese living on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, said Chen, director of the Taiwan Affairs Offices of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and of the State Council.

He blamed Taiwan authorities led by Chen Shui-bian for challenging cross-strait peace by pushing forward the so-called "Referendum" for "Taiwan's entry into the United Nations", which is a major attempt by Taiwan's pro-independence forces to split China.

The 1.3 billion Chinese on the mainland and the 23 million Chinese in Taiwan not only share the same history and the same roots but also the same interests that are closely linked and the common expectation for peace and development, the official said.

He pledged: "There's no power to split us two."

In 2008, the mainland will further encourage personnel, economic and cultural exchanges across the Taiwan Strait, while continuing and improving the existing policies and measures that have benefited Taiwan compatriots, according to the mainland official.

Chen said that the mainland was also looking forward to resuming the cross-strait talks and negotiations to resolve or seek ways to resolve all kinds of problems in the fields of economics, politics and military.

The mainland has proposed that the two sides, based on the one-China principle, hold negotiations on officially ceasing the hostility across the strait, agree on peace and map out a framework for peaceful development of the cross-strait relations, so as to stride toward a new stage of peaceful development of cross-strait relations, he said.

(Xinhua News Agency January 29, 2008)