China's Reunification Is Our Common Aspiration Chen Yunlin, director of both the Taiwan <http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/data/province/taiwan.html> Work Office of the CPC Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, published the New Year congratulatory message titled "Cross-Straits Reunification Is Our Common Aspiration" in the magazine "Cross-Straits Relations" in the first issue, 2001. Chen extended his New Year greetings and New Century wishes to the Taiwan compatriots on behalf of the Taiwan Work Office of the CPC Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council. Chen said that all of us are Chinese, flesh and blood compatriots. Since the early 1990s, the cross-Straits relations have undergone an unusual course. Compatriots across the Straits have joined efforts in their resolute fight against the separatist schemes to create the " independence of Taiwan", "two Chinas", and "one China, one Taiwan", thus safeguarding State sovereignty and territorial integrity, promoting the continual economic and cultural exchanges between the two sides, and enhancing mutual feeling and understanding. Chen pointed out that we are all Chinese. China is our common homeland. There is only one China in the world. Both the mainland and Taiwan belong to one China. China's State sovereignty and territorial integrity admit of no partition. The "one-China" principle is the foundation and prerequisite for the development of cross-Straits ties and the reunification of the motherland. However, the new leader of Taiwan authorities refused to accept the "one-China" principle and denied the consensus on "adherence to the one-China principle" expressed respectively by words of mouth, reached between the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) and Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) in 1992. He even advocated that "Taiwan is a "sovereign independent state" and denied the goal of the reunification of the two sides. As a result, there has all along existed the source of tension in the cross-Strait relations which may possibly be pushed to a dangerous verge at any time, thereby seriously harming the fundamental interests of the Taiwan compatriots. There is no reason for the Taiwan authorities to reject the one-China principle. There should be no difficulty for them to accept the one-China principle. Only when the Taiwan authorities accept the one-China principle, can cross-Straits ties develop steadily and Taiwan compatriots set their minds on work. Chen Yunlin said that the Communist Party of China (CPC) held the Fifth Plenary Session of the 15th Central Committee of the CPC in October 2000 . The meeting set three major tasks which must be properly tackled by the CPC in the new century: continuing to push forward the modernization drive, accomplishing the reunification of the motherland, and defending world peace and promoting common development. The CPC's listing of the accomplishment of reunification of the motherland as one of the three major tasks is a historic strategic decision, which embodies the strong feeling and firm will of the Chinese nation, and reflects the demand of the times and the development trend of the cross-Straits relations, it will greatly expedite the process of China's complete reunification. Chen emphasized that we are all Chinese. An early solution of the Taiwan issue and realization of the complete reunification of the motherland is the common aspiration of all the Chinese people. We will unswervingly implement the basic principles of "peaceful reunification, one country, two systems" and continue to carry out in-depth President Jiang Zemin <http://www.peopledaily.com.cn/english/leaders/jzm/jzmhome.htm> 's eight-point proposal for developing cross-Straits relations and promoting the process of peaceful reunification of the motherland at the present stage. We will unshakably uphold the one-China principle, resolutely oppose any splitting schemes, and safeguard State sovereignty and territorial integrity; we will continue to devote to pushing forward cross-Strait dialogs and negotiations on the basis of the one-China principle, we welcome various political parties and people of various social circles in Taiwan who are opposed to "Taiwan independence" and in favor of national reunification to conduct exchanges and dialogs with us; we will continue to boost cross-Strait economic and cultural exchanges and personnel contacts, we will give full consideration to and respect the aspirations of Taiwan compatriots, and under any circumstance, we will earnestly protect the lawful rights and interests of Taiwan compatriots in cross-Straits economic and cultural exchanges. Both sides of the Straits will join in succession the WTO, there will be plenty of new business opportunities for cross-Straits economic exchanges. At this moment, we sincerely hope that Taiwan authorities will no more set up barriers to Taiwan compatriots, give up the policy of "No haste, be patient" as soon as possible, and start direct "three exchanges" (exchange of mails, trade and air and shipping services) with the mainland. In conclusion, Chen said that we are all Chinese. You and I have a share of responsibility for the reunification of the motherland. We are convinced that when compatriots of the two sides of the Straits are united in the endeavor, the peaceful reunification of the motherland and the great reunion of the Chinese nation will certainly be realized at an early date. *** 15 Falungong Activists Charged in Singapore ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 15 Falungong activists arrested on New Year's Eve in Singapore were charged in a magistrate court Tuesday with illegal assembly and obstructing police officers from carrying out their duty. Local reports said the nine men and six women, aged between 21 and 40, were taken to court in three vehicles and the two charges were read to each defendant. No plea was taken and the case will be mentioned again on January 9, the reports added. The 15 were among 60 members of the group who had gathered near a carpark at the MacRitchie Reservoir Sunday to hold a memorial service allegedly for dead Falungong members overseas. The police arrested the 15 after they defied orders to disperse peacefully and even blocked the police officers from carrying out their duties. The police handed the case to the Attorney-General's Chamber after the suspects had refused to accept bail arrangement offered by the police. According to Singapore's law, the maximum penalty for obstructing a police officer is a jail term of three months and a 500-Singapore-dollar fine (US$295) and for unlawful assembly, it is three months' jail and a 5,000-Singapore-dollar (US$2,950) fine. **** Wall Street Stocks Index Drops Sharply Wall Street started 2001 on a dismal note, unnerved by the same problems that sent the market plunging last year. The Nasdaq composite index tumbled 7.2% as nervous investors unloaded technology issues while blue chips also fell sharply on similar concerns about profits and the slowing economy. The losses extended a trend that made 2000 the worst year ever for the Nasdaq and the weakest in nearly two decades for the Dow Jones industrials. The Nasdaq closed down 178.66 at 2291.86. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 140.70 to 10,646.15, a 1.3% loss. The Standard & Poor's 500 index was down 2.8%, falling 37.01 to 1283.27. ***** Three Taiwan Ferries Arrive in Fujian in Direct Crossing Three passenger ferries sailed from Taiwan Province to the mainland on Tuesday in the first direct crossing between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits in half a century. Two boats, "Tai Wu" and "Wu Chiang," carrying a total of 192 passengers, made a two-hour voyage from the Kinmen Island to the booming southern Fujian port of Xiamen. Earlier, "Taima," sailing from the island of Matsu with 500 followers of a Taoist sea goddess on board, arrived in Mawei Island, down river from Fuzhou, the capital of Fujian province. "This trip will help not just Kinmen and Xiamen, but also the overall state of relations between Taiwan and the mainland," Kinmen county magistrate Chen Shui-tsai said as he landed on Xiamen. "Xiamen and Kinmen face a great economic future together," said Chen, the highest-level Taiwan official on board, who is expected to stay in the mainland for four days and three nights and visit several cities in Fujian. The arrivals signaled the start of the first direct links between the mainland and the island province since 1949. "Mini-links" in three areas -- direct transport, trade and postal services -- between the two islands and the cities of Fuzhou and Xiamen were approved by Taiwan authorities last month. "I think if we carry on frequent exchanges, (complete links) could become a reality soon," said Chen En-tsu, a member of the Kinmen county council, who was part of the delegation. "I have a lot of confidence in this, because it's an unavoidable trend." Chen Shui-tsai, the Kinmen county commissioner, also said he expected intensified exchanges in the future. "The three small links are just the first step going forward, we will bring about complete links," he said. The two vessels were greeted by a crowd of up to 300 people, and women from the Kinmen Island Friendship Association carrying two large bouquets of flowers, as they approached shortly before noon in sparkling sunshine. As the two vessels docked, local TV crews were standing ready for live reporting. The voyage is crucial as it is the first direct sailing from Kinmen to Xiamen after 51 years of separation," Chen said. "Hopefully the contact will lead to the restoration of rapprochement talks" between Taiwan and the mainland, he said. On arrival, the passengers quickly passed through Xiamen customs procedures, and were then taken in four tourist buses to a welcome lunch organized by local authorities. The other passengers arriving at Mawei were to board buses for a trip to Meizhou Island, which is believed to be the home of the sea goddess Matsu, one of Taiwan's most important folk deities. _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. 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