No independence, no military: CPC-PFP Communique
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2005-05-12 22:36

The Communist Party of China (CPC ) and Taiwan's People First Party (PFP) agreed Thursday that if Taiwan does not seek independence, there will be no military conflicts across the Taiwan Straits, and that both shall work for the promotion of cross-Straits economic exchanges and trade.

"Military conflicts shall be effectively avoided so long as there is no possibility that Taiwan moves toward 'Taiwan independence'", according to a communique issued after the summit between Hu Jintao and James CY Soong, the first ever in the history of the two parties.

The new gesture, along with other consensus reached by the two parties, has been an further show of goodwill by the mainland side toward the Taiwan people and reflects common aspirations by people in both the mainland and Taiwan for peace, stability and development of cross-Straits relations, Soong said after the talks.

The new developments have been built on fruitful talks between Hu, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and Chairman Lien Chan of the Kuomintang (KMT) Party of China two weeks ago. The CPC and KMT have agreed upon five issues including the promotion of formal end to hostility, building military mutual trust mechanism, allowing Taiwan to participate in activities of the World Health Organization, some of which were reaffirmed in today's communique.

The CPC-PFP document says that the Taiwan authorities are expected to earnestly honor the promise of "five no's" and live up to the commitment of not seeking "de jure Taiwan independence" through "constitutional" changes.

The proposal for "Taiwan independence" has hurt the feelings of people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits, disrupted the development of normal cooperative and mutually beneficial relations across the Straits, and severely sabotaged security and stability across the Straits and in the Asia-Pacific region at large, says the communique.

The two parties also voiced their "firm opposition" to any activities for the "rectification of Taiwan's name" and " constitutional changes through referendum."

According to the communique, the two parties will join hands to promote the establishment of a framework for peace across the Straits and the formal ending of the state of hostility through consultations and negotiations in a bid to reach a peace accord.

The communique urges the two sides across the Straits to resume peace talks as soon as possible and take concrete measures to solve crucial issues of mutual concerns on the basis of mutual respect and seeking common grounds while reserving differences.

The "1992 Consensus" should be respected and cross-Straits peace talks should be conducted on the basis of the Consensus, which highlights the one-China principle and shelves discrepancies concerning specific political connotations of the "one China", it says.

The two parties also reach a wide range of consensus on promoting overall economic and trade exchanges across the Taiwan Straits on the basis of mutual benefit and win-win cooperation.

-- The CPC and PFP will promote the realization of two-way direct flights across the Taiwan Straits by 2006.

-- They called for closer agricultural cooperation across the Taiwan Straits and increasing sales of Taiwan farm produce in the mainland.

-- The mainland will exempt customs duties on some of Taiwan's farm products including fruits to help Taiwan ease sales pressure during harvesting season.

-- Both sides across the Straits should facilitate customs clearing of farm products and their direct transportation.

-- Both agreed to promote the two-way direct investment by enterprises across the Straits, and promote "specific cooperation" in banking, insurance, securities, transportation and medical sectors.

-- The two parties will promote cross-Straits negotiations on how to avoid double taxation on business people, says the communique.

-- Cross-Straits people-to-people exchanges should be expanded and procedures on the mainland side should be further simplified for Taiwanese compatriots coming to and leaving the mainland.

-- The mainland side should encourage and promote the employment of Taiwan compatriots on the mainland.

After the talks, James Soong promised that the PFP will work closely with the KMT to make their consensus, which are in the interests of Taiwan people, to be taken into serious consideration by the Taiwan authorities, headed by Chen Shui-bian.

"The PFP will not hesitate in working together with the KMT to supervise the authorities and to defend the fundamental interests of the Taiwanese," he said.