Journalists raise hands to ask questions at the press conference of the second session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 2, 2019. [Photo/Xinhua]

Reunification is goal as Chinese mainland to deepen democratic consultation in Taiwan

By ZHANG YI

The Chinese mainland will deepen democratic consultation with parties and individuals from Taiwan to push forward peaceful national reunification, a spokesman said on Saturday.

On the political basis of adhering to the 1992 Consensus with the one-China principle and opposing "Taiwan independence", forms of democratic consultation can be flexible and diverse, Guo Weimin, spokesman for the second session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said at a press conference.

President Xi Jinping said in a speech at a gathering to commemorate the 40th anniversary of issuing Message to Compatriots in Taiwan on Jan 2 that the principles of "peaceful reunification" and "one country, two systems" are the best approach to realizing national reunification.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, proposed that the mainland and Taiwan conduct democratic consultation on cross-Straits relations and establish institutional arrangement for peaceful development.

The proposal of democratic consultation across the Taiwan Straits has won wide applause , Guo said, adding that democratic consultation is a more extensive and full democracy. It will play an important role in promoting exchanges between peoples, resolving differences and building consensus of the two sides, he said.

It will also help Taiwan residents participate in the development of cross-Straits relations and the peaceful reunification of the motherland, he added.

"By advocating democratic consultation, we are placing our hope on the people of Taiwan and respecting the mainstream public opinion of the island," Guo said.

"However, the Democratic Progressive Party, the island's ruling party, rejected the 1992 Consensus and refused to conduct political negotiations with the mainland, ignoring the people's demands for reunification," he added.

Therefore, the democratic consultation can provide a more open channel for Taiwan residents to express their opinions, he said. "It will not affect or replace the cross-Straits negotiation, but provide solid public support."

Guo said that the CPPCC provides an important channel for cross-Straits democratic consultation to reach the institutional arrangement for peaceful reunification.

"We will continue to deepen exchanges with various parties, organizations and individuals of the island, and work with our compatriots in Taiwan to promote the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations and the peaceful reunification of the motherland," he said.