Wang Daohan, president of the mainland-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), Monday sent a condolence message to mourn the death of Ku Chen-fu, chairman of the Strait Exchange Foundation (SEF), or the counterpart of ARATS in Taiwan.

The 87-year-old Ku died of renal failure in Taipei in the wee hours on Monday.

The condolence message of the 89-year-old Wang, addressed to Ku's widow Yen Cho-yun, was written in the style of classical Chinese prose.

"It was shocking to learn the sudden demise of Mr. Ku. The loss of such a great man made me feel very sad," said Wang in his message.

Wang praised Ku for having "committed himself to the cross-strait relations for as long as 14 years", and said that he and Ku had shared many common understandings on issues regarding China's reunification.

Ku, a famous tycoon in Taiwan and also a veteran member of the Kuomintang party, became chairman of the Board of Supervisors of the SEF in 1990 and served on that post for four consecutive terms.

"We shook hands twice at the Wang-Ku meetings, and we both regard the 1992 Consensus as a solemn promise to be kept all our lives," recalled Wang in his message.

In April, 1993, Ku and Wang held in Singapore the first ever high-level, non-governmental talks between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits. The talks were known as the Wang-Ku meeting. The two met again in Shanghai in October, 1998.

The meetings were made possible after the ARATS and the SEF reached a consensus in 1992 that "both sides across the Taiwan Straits stick to the 'one-China' principle", though each side may have their own interpretations.

The Chinese central government has insisted that the resumption of any talks or dialogues across the Taiwan Straits should be based on the 'one-China' principle. The Taiwan authorities headed by Chen Shui-bian, however, had refused to acknowledge the 1992 Consensus.

Wang pointed out in his message that "peace and reunification" are the only way out for the cross-Strait relations, as well as something that will definitely happen sooner or later.

"I hope that all Chinese compatriots will finally uphold and carry forward the essence of the 1992 Consensus and the Wang-Ku meetings, and open a new chapter in (cross-strait) consultation and dialogue to make Mr. Ku rest in peace," Wang urged in the message.

Source: Xinhua