Deepening cross-Strait relations emphasized

Wang Huning, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, China's top political advisory body, called on Saturday for efforts to resolutely oppose "Taiwan independence" separatism and external interference and firmly safeguard the common homeland of the Chinese nation.

Wang made the remarks in Beijing when taking part in deliberations with the Taiwan delegation to the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, at the fourth session of the 14th NPC.

Regarding the Taiwan question, he underlined the need to adhere to the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus, saying it is essential to implement the Party's overall strategy for resolving the Taiwan question in the new era, enhance confidence in victory, shape the inevitable trend of reunification, promote the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and advance the cause of national reunification.

Wang emphasized the need to uphold the concept of "both sides of the Taiwan Strait are Chinese and part of one family", and called for efforts to deepen cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation, promote integrated development across the Taiwan Strait and jointly create long-term well-being for the Chinese nation.

On Saturday, other senior leaders also deliberated the Government Work Report with NPC deputies at the ongoing annual session of the national legislature.

While deliberating with his fellow NPC deputies from Qinghai province, Cai Qi, a member of the Secretariat of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, emphasized the need for the province to maintain strategic focus and leverage its comparative advantages to promote differentiated development with its own characteristics tailored to local conditions, striving to write a new chapter of Chinese modernization in Qinghai.

He encouraged the province to explore a new path for coordinated progress in ecological conservation and green development, improve people's livelihoods, promote coordinated economic and social development, and prevent large-scale recurrence of poverty.

Cai also highlighted the importance of strengthening ethnic unity, and called for forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation and promoting exchanges and integration among all ethnic groups.

Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang participated in the deliberations with delegations to the NPC from the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions. He said that over the past five years, the practice of "one country, two systems" has made remarkable progress and landmark achievements.

Ding urged Hong Kong and Macao to actively align with the country's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30), better integrate into and serve the overall national development framework, and make greater contributions to promoting Chinese modernization.

He emphasized the need for the HKSAR to consolidate and enhance its status as an international financial, shipping and trading center as well as fully leverage its advantages in education, science and technology, and talent in order to foster new platforms and new growth drivers to promote its long-term prosperity and stability.

Ding highlighted the need for the Macao SAR to take solid steps to promote appropriate economic diversification and advance the construction of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin.

caodesheng@chinadaily.com.cn