Hu Jintao, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said Tuesday that the New Party has made positive contributions to improving the relations across the Taiwan Straits.

"It's very praiseworthy for them to do so and we very much appreciate their efforts," said Hu when meeting with a visiting delegation of the Taiwan based New Party headed by chairman Yok Mu-ming in the Great Hall of the People.

Hu said the New Party is one of Taiwan's important political forces that can't be ignored.

The New Party has always adhered to the one-China position and opposed "Taiwan independence" and upheld the great banners of a national ethos, opposing splitting Taiwan from the Chinese mainland and standing for peaceful reunification of the nation, said Hu.

Hu, who is also the Chinese president and chairman of the CPC Central Military Commission, said that China would firmly cherish and safeguard the peace and thus inspire the whole Chinese people to better devote themselves to the great cause of revitalizing the Chinese nation.

Sixty years ago, said Hu, the Chinese people had at last beaten Japanese militarism and won the great victory of the War of Resistance against Japanese aggression after fighting courageous and hard battles and making great national sacrifices and had Taiwan returned to the motherland after 50 years of Japanese colonial occupation.

He said the victory marks the first complete success of the Chinese nation in fighting against foreign aggression in its modern history and the spirit demonstrated in the war is the true Chinese ethos and the great spiritual power that encourages the Chinese nation to develop and grow.

Speaking of joining the efforts of both parties for the benefit of the Chinese nation and the people, Hu said the CPC is ready to join hands with the New Party to promote the peaceful reunification of the motherland to benefit the compatriots across the Taiwan Straits.

"It is the common political proposition and the goal of our two parties to firmly oppose 'Taiwan independence' and promote peaceful reunification of the country," Hu said.

He pledged that the CPC will continue to work with the New Party to resolutely oppose "Taiwan independence" secessionist forces and their activities, thus safeguarding peace and stability across the Straits and promoting the improvement and development of cross-Straits relations.

Since setting foot on the mainland on Wednesday, the 30-member delegation has toured Guangzhou, Nanjing and Dalian as part of its visit, dubbed, "the journey of the Chinese nation".

Yok is the third Taiwanese party leader to visit the mainland since April, following the back-to-back visits of Kuomintang Chairman Lien Chan and People First Party Chairman James CY Soong.

The eight-day visit under the theme of commemorating the 60th anniversary of China's victory in the war of resistance against Japanese aggression will end Wednesday.

Source: Xinhua