Many celebrities in Taiwan have expressed condolences over the death of Wang Daohan, chairman of the mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), who passed away on Dec. 24.

Wang had made a significant contribution to promoting cross-Straits talks and cross-Straits relations, said C. V. Chen, the first vice-chairman and secretary-general of the Taiwan-based Strait Exchange Foundation (SEF).

Chen pledged to make continued efforts to make the two sides better open to each other with more friendliness.

Chiao Jen-ho, another former secretary-general of the SEF who met Wang several times, said previous talks between Wang and his Taiwan counterpart Koo Chen-fu, former chairman of the SEF who died in February, are very helpful for increasing mutual understanding across the Taiwan Straits and have left a lot of valuable experience for later generations to continue promoting cross-Straits relations.

"Wang was a warm and esteemed elder to us, especially in cross-Straits relations," Chiao said. "Wang gave me lots of guidance with a long-term and general view, though we sometimes had differences."

Some Taiwan scholars also expressed their deep sorrow about Wang's death.

Gorge W. Tsai, a research fellow with the research center on international relations of Taiwan's National Chengchi University, called Wang's death a "great loss." Wang was an elder who was far-sighted, idealistic, and willing to think over the common interests of the two sides from the point of view of national development.

Wang Chin-ping, chairman of Taiwan's "Alliance for the Reunification of China", attributed the interruption of the cross-Straits talks to Taiwan Authorities' refusal to recognize the cross-Straits consensus in 1992.

The four-point opinion made by Chinese President Hu Jintao early this year is of great importance for the development of the cross-Straits relations, while the mainland visits by leaders of Taiwan's Kuomintang, People First Party and New Party were also a good beginning, Wang said.

Source: Xinhua