New Sino-US ties sought (2)

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By Chen Weihua in Washington DC (China Daily) 09:19, September 22, 2013

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Wang believed gradual integration will ultimately lead to reunification, as the cross-Straits relationship has been better than ever, with vast improvements starting in 2008.

"For many years, the Taiwan question has been a liability in China-US relations that undermines mutual trust and disrupts cooperation," he said.

"However, if the US can go along with the prevailing trend of peaceful development of cross-Straits relations, and genuinely appreciate and respect China's efforts to oppose separation and achieve peaceful reunification, the question - once a liability and negative factor in our relationship - will be turned into an asset and a positive factor."

Wang, who served as director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, China's cabinet, from 2008 to 2013, believes such a development will guarantee the steady long-term growth of Sino-US relations and open prospects for comprehensive cooperation.

The 59-year-old career diplomat said the two countries should also work together to produce substantive results in their cooperation over hot spot Asia-Pacific issues.

He cited the example of the Korean nuclear issue upon which he said China and the US have built much consensus. He described the Six-Party Talks as an "effective mechanism for dialogue".

He explained: "The parties concerned should commit themselves as soon as possible to the September 19 Joint Statement and work together to create the necessary conditions for the resumption of the Six-Party Talks."

He was referring to the statement on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula announced by the Six-Party Talks eight years ago. Wang was China's representative to the Six-Party Talks when they started in 2003.

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