|
BEIJING, April 29 -- A
modernized, prosperous, strong and well-being Chinese nation is no longer
a reachless dream, visiting KMT Chairman Lien Chan said Friday in a speech
in the Peking University.
Lien said that Taiwan is
embarking on its second economic wonder and the mainland is facing an
opportunity that occurs only once in 1,000 years.
Lien called for co-operation
and a win-win between the two sides of the Taiwan strait.
"We're paving the way and
building a bridge, and the people will be glad to see cross-Straits
dialog, reconciliation and cooperation, rather than confrontation or
conflict," Lien said.
A stable peace is every
one's hope, Lien said, urging the maintenance of a stable cross-Straits
staus quo.
He quoted a famous Western
saying "peace by pieces," saying that every Chinese should contribute his
"piece" of efforts to the promotion of peace across the Taiwan Straits,
and every Chinese should be held accountable for the well-being of the
rest of the Chinese on the globe.
"We should put the people
first and give priority to the people's well-being," he said during a
speech delivered at Beijing University. "This is supported by all the
Chinese people, including the 23 million residents in Taiwan and the 1.3
billion on the mainland."
The KMT leader continued
that the Communist Party of China and the Kuomintang both aimed for a
prosperous and strong China.
The Taiwan independence
timetable should never be allowed to destroy the basis for the people¨s
well-being, Lien pointed out, adding that 66 per cent of the people in
Taiwan were in favor of harmonious talks between the two sides of the
Taiwan Straits according to a survey released last Sunday.
Lien:
"desinification" unacceptable
Lien Chan said in the speech
that the majority in Taiwan would not accept the policy of
"desinification," which is aimed at severing ties between the Chinese
mainland and Taiwan.
It's "a pity" that some
political forces in Taiwan have been advocating such "an extreme idea",
said Lien when answering a question at the end of his 40-minute speech.
"I'm sure that the majority
of Taiwan people will not take on their shoes," said Lien, who described
the efforts for "desinification" as something out of the imagination of
the people in other countries and the mainland.
These "desinification"
efforts have aroused great concern among Taiwan people and even foreigners
residing in Taiwan, he added.
According to him, parents of
numerous school children are now looking for resources other than public
schools in Taiwan to continue education in Chinese history and culture.
"The parents hope their
children could learn more about the creams of the Chinese culture," Lien
said.
Mainland, Taiwan
urged to join hands for common prosperity
Lien Chan said it is
undoubtedly good for the Chinese mainland and Taiwan to join hands for
common prosperity.
The win-win situation
resulting from closer economic ties across the Taiwan Straits will benefit
not only the two sides but also neighboring countries in the Asia-Pacific
region, Lien said in a speech to teachers and students of Beijing
University.
"One plus one makes more
than two," Lien said, adding that the two sides across the Straits are now
more and more interdependent.
While the mainland is
striving for rapid economic growth, Taiwan tries is on the way for its
second round of economic miracle, Lien said.
"The common prosperity for
the Chinese across the Straits is no longer a unattainable dream," he
said.
Lien urges
discarding old mentality
Lien Chan urged some people
in Taiwan to give up the old thinking and seek the well-being of people
across the Taiwan Straits.
Lien said, "some people in
Taiwan say my visit aims to seek the third KMT-CPC cooperation to 'contain
Taiwan.'"
"That's a very grave
distortion," Lien said. "The mentality of these people are still in the
state of the 1920s and 1930s."
"Why couldn't we pay more
attention to the present and create a better future," said Lien.
"Why couldn't we proceeding
from goodwill, trust each other, take into consideration of the well-being
of both sides and the long-term interests of the Chinese nation" in
handling across-Strait affairs, said Lien.
Calling for giving
priorities to the interests and well-being of the people, Lien said, "I
believe that's a trend supported by both the 23 million people in Taiwan
and the 1.3 billion people in the mainland."
(chinadaily.com.cn/Xinhua) |