(March 4, 2000) Chinese President Jiang Zemin on March 4, 2000 called on compatriots across the Taiwan Straits to cherish their  brotherly affection and join efforts for the realization of   reunification of the motherland at an early date.

President Jiang made the call during his visit on March 4 to  members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's  Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) who are representing the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang, the Taiwan  Democratic Self-Government League, and All-China Federation of  Taiwan Compatriots to attend the current third annual session of  the CPPCC National Committee.

President Jiang described the  return of Hong Kong and Macao to the motherland as major victories on the way to the fulfillment of the reunification of the  motherland, stressing that the eventual settlement of Taiwan issue and realization of the complete reunification of the motherland  have been an even more ardent aspiration and demand by the entire  Chinese people.

The Chinese government and people are confident and capable of  resolving the Taiwan issue and accomplish the great cause of the  motherland at an early date, he noted.

Meanwhile, the president pledged to continue carrying out the  basic principle of "peaceful reunification", and "one country, two systems" and his 1995 eight-point proposals on the cross-straits  relations and promoting the process of the reunification of the  motherland. The white paper, titled "The One-China Principle and  the Taiwan Issue"  has given a full  expression to the firm stance of the entire Chinese people, he  said.

Jiang said  that peaceful reunification represents the best way of resolving the Taiwan issue, which is in the interest  of the Taiwan compatriots, the whole Chinese people, and peace and development in the Asian Pacific Region as well as the whole world.

"For the fundamental interests of compatriots across the  straits, we will exert our utmost and greatest possibility to  resolve the Taiwan Issue through peaceful means, but of course,  under the premise of insistence in the One-China Principle," Jiang said.

Nevertheless, he said, "we will definitely not commit to  abandoning the use of force." the Chinese government will have to  adopt all possible, determined measures to safeguard the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity, provided major incidents  causing Taiwan to  separate from China occurred under any premise, provided Taiwan is invaded and occupied by any foreign power, or provided Taiwan authorities postpone indefinitely the peaceful  settlement of reunification issue through negotiations. "This has been  our consistent position," he stressed.

The Chinese people are in firm opposition to any ghosts and  evils, and any schemes detrimental to the fundamental interests of the Chinese nation, such as "Taiwan Independence", "two Chinas"  and "one China, one Taiwan", will never succeed, no matter  whichever Taiwan-based political parties and factions have been  involved and whatever outside political forces are backing them up.

Meanwhile, President Jiang acknowledged that Taiwan compatriots have a glorious tradition of patriotism. "We have consistently and sincerely been placing our hopes on the people of Taiwan," he said.

He also expressed the conviction that Taiwan compatriots are sure  to make the correct choice on major issues regarding the State  sovereignty and territorial integrity, the fundamental interests  of the Chinese nation, and the destiny and future of Taiwan.

"We fully respect the wish of Taiwan compatriots as the masters of their own destiny and to develop economy, and to safeguard  their own interests. We are ready to undertake extensive contacts  and exchanges with all Taiwan-based parties, groups and  individuals who are adhering to the One-China Principle, for the  increase in mutual understanding and consensus, and making joint  efforts to promote the cross-straits relations and peaceful  reunification of the motherland."

"We hope to resume the cross-straits talks and negotiations on  the basis of the One-China Principle as conditions mature, to  resolve disputes across the straits through consultations, so as  to pave the way for the growth of the cross-straits relations and  lay the foundation for the eventual accomplishment of the  reunification of the motherland," Jiang said.

Taiwan compatriots should be helped and facilitated to have an  all-around recognition and correct understanding of the central  government's policies on Taiwan issue and to further deepen their  knowledge about the Chinese mainland, thus creating favorable  conditions for resolving the Taiwan issue at an early date,  President Jiang said.