Premier Wen Jiabao delivers a speech at a reception marking the 55th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China in Beijing Sept. 30, 2004.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao pledged to reunify the mainland with Taiwan, vowing to contain forces intent on independence for the island to ensure the sacred goal of national unity.

The sacred goal of complete national reunification must be achieved and it shall be achieved in the end, said Premier Wen Jiabao Thursday in Beijing at a reception marking the 55th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

Wen said at the reception hosted by the State Council that China will continue to follow the basic policies of "peaceful reunification," "One Country, Two Systems" and the eight-point proposition on the development of cross-straits relations and the promotion of the peaceful reunification of the motherland.

The country will firmly oppose and contain the separatist forces in Taiwan and unswervingly safeguard China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, he said.

Senior Chinese leaders, including Hu Jintao, Wu Bangguo, Wen Jiabao, Jia Qinglin, Zeng Qinghong, Huang Ju, Wu Guanzheng, Li Changchun and Luo Gan, and over 4,000 people attended the reception.

Wen said at the reception that compatriots in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan are our brothers and sisters, and China will continue to follow the principles of "Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong," "Macao people governing Macao" and a high degree of autonomy, act in strict accordance with the relevant Basic Laws and work to maintain long-term prosperity and stability in the two special administrative regions.

The premier went on by pledging further political and economic reforms that have made China the world's fastest-growing major economy.

Wen said the year of 2004 is a year in which China has seen remarkable achievements in both development and reform. By strengthening macroeconomic control and pushing reform and opening-up, China has eased economic difficulties and maintained steady and fairly rapid growth, laying a sound foundation for future development and reform.

Wen said that the 55-year history has demonstrated that China must follow the path of independently building socialism with Chinese characteristics under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, basing itself on its own national conditions and getting along with the trends of development in the world.

He noted that the first two decades of the 21st century are a period of important strategic opportunities. China must give top priority to development in government work and nation building, stick to reform and opening up, enhance democracy and rule of law, promote cultural development, work hard, and consolidate the unityof all ethnic groups.

He said that China will stick to peaceful development , uphold peace, development and cooperation, pursue an independent foreign policy of peace and actively develop friendship and cooperation with various countries in the world.

China will never seek hegemony, he said, adding that it will join all the peace-loving forces of the world in opposing hegemony,power politics and terrorism in all forms and manifestations.

Wen also addressed the scourge of corruption, which has emerged alongside economic reforms after being virtually wiped out in the years after the Communist Party took power in 1949.

"We must carry out the fight against corruption in a more intensive manner ... We must address both the symptoms and the root causes of corruption," he said.

By People's Daily Online