The media in China's Taiwan Province have paid enormous attention to Monday's statement on the cross-Straits relations by the mainland, which reiterated the mainland's stance on the Taiwan issue.

All the leading newspapers, including the United Daily News, China Times, Taiwan Central Daily News, Taiwan China Daily News and Min Chung Daily News as well as and TV channels in the island reported on the statement shortly after it was issued. Some of them also published "interpretation" articles.

Local reports focused on the mainland's determination to oppose the "independence of Taiwan" and safeguard the one-China principle. Some of the local media pointed out that what the mainland really cares about is not who will rule over Taiwan. The kernel of the mainland's statement is about the matters of principle, they stressed.

The China Times carried the full text of the statement at its front page Monday. The statement shows that the mainland still hopes to maintain stable relations across the Taiwan Straits and achieve China's reunification in a peaceful way, while the precondition for keeping cross-Straits peace is Taiwan gives up "independence" and recognizes the "One China" principle, the newspaper said in an interpretation article.

The United Daily News carried an article entitled "Two roads before Taiwan leaders", saying the pointing out of only "two roads" before the local authority by the statement shows that the mainland's tolerance to separatist activities has dropped to the "lowest".

"Taiwan independence" is playing with fire: HK media

Newspapers in Hong Kong also reported on the statement, some of them carried editorials condemning separatist activities and stressing that the Chinese people will never tolerate "Taiwan independence" and attempts to separate Taiwan from China are doomed.

Wen Wei Po pointed out in an editorial that only by recognizing and following the "One China" principle can the framework of developing peaceful, stable cross-Straits relations be formed, can Taiwan raise its competitiveness to meet together with the mainland challenges brought by economic globalization and regional integration, can Taiwan compatriots' wishes for cross-Straits peace, social stability and pursuit for economic development realized.

Hong Kong Commercial Daily noted in its editorial that the realization of complete unification of the motherland is the common will of all Chinese including Taiwan compatriots, and it is a historical trend that represents the feelings of the people. Any forces in the world should not underestimate China's determination and ability to achieve national reunification and oppose separatist activities. Chen Shui-bian will finally meet his destruction if he fails to pull back immediately from his dangerous lurch towards independent and slip further into the "independence" mire putting the well-being of Taiwan people at stake.

Enactment of "unification law" called

The Committee for Promotion of Peaceful Unification of China in San Francisco issued a statement expressing the hope that China will complete its "national unification law" on an earlier day so as to push forward the country's complete unification.

Making of the "unification law" means to set the guideline, timetable and way of unification in legal form to realize unity of the Chinese nation, the statement said.

The statement said that time is mature for mapping out such a law, and the earlier it is made, the more profit it will bring to the nation. Meanwhile, it is also meant to show China's determination on unification and remove misunderstanding from international society.

Chinese in Bangkok support statement on unification

A seminar under the theme of "opposing Taiwan independence and promoting national unification" was held Monday in Bangkok, which was jointly organized by the Committee for Promotion of Peaceful Unification of China in Thailand and Thai-Chinese Chamber of Commerce. Nearly a hundred representatives attending the seminar expressed their support to the statement issued.

President of the Committee Wang Zhimin said that there are but two roads before the Taiwan authority and a choice must be made.

President of the Commerce Chamber Zheng Mingru stressed that the Taiwan authority must stop all splitting activities, recognize the fact that both sides of the Taiwan Straits belong to the one and same China and push forward the cross-Straits relations.

By People's Daily Online