April 10 saw the first seminar discussing on the trend of cross-Straits relations ��"China Peaceful Reunification World Summit Forum 2004"opened in San Francisco after the Taiwan election. Attending at the forum were more than 300 scholars and members of China peaceful reunification associations from US, Canada, Russia, Peru, Brazil, Italy, Nigeria, Lesotho, China's mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

The question of how to open new prospects after the "March 20 election"in Taiwan is a focus of concern in the mainland, Taiwan and Hong Kong. It is under such a theme that the Association in Northern California for Promoting China Peaceful Reunification hosted the summit forum.

Attendees of the forum expressed worries about the turbulent situation after the election that tears apart the Chinese nation, condemned Chen Shui-bian's wild remarks as "Taiwan is a sovereign state"and "a state at each side", as well as his attempts at "Taiwan independence". The complete realization of China's peaceful reunification is in the interests of all Chinese people, representatives to the forum pointed out and also a necessity for revitalizing the Chinese nation. This is also the common wish of our compatriots in Taiwan. Therefore, it is in line with the general historical trend and the people's common will as well.

Zhang Mingqing, assistant director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, addressed the forum. He urged overseas Chinese to be fully aware of the danger and harm of splitting activities and called for fights against them so as to jointly promote the nation's peaceful reunification cause.

Peng Keyu, Chinese consul general in San Francisco pointed out at the forum that "the Taiwan election is a local one, which, whatever the result is, can not alter the fact that Taiwan is a part of China. The Chinese government's stand on the Taiwan issue is clear-cut��we stand for solving cross-Straits differences in a spirit of equality and tolerance. We are willing to promote cross-Straits talks and negotiations on the base of "One China"principle; appreciate the US government's stance of adhering to "One China"policy, strictly observing the three Sino-US joint communiqu��s, properly handling the Taiwan issue and not sending any wrong signal to Taiwan splitist forces". Vice president of Taiwan's China Unification Alliance Yang Zhicheng said that any attempt at splitting China by "Taiwan independence"forces, in whatever forms, is doomed to failure for it runs counter to the historical trend of motherland unification.

The Association in Northern California for Promoting China Peaceful Reunification was founded in October 2000 in the aim of realizing China's peaceful reunification and promoting contacts and peaceful coexistence between people across the Straits.

By People's Daily Online