Cross-Straits economic forum held in Shanghai

Over the last decade, the forum has always followed the 1992 Consensus, opposed "Taiwan independence" and acted as an important platform for CPC-KMT dialogue, Yu said, noting that the total 153 joint proposals reached at the forum, most of which have been turned into practical policies, have brought solid benefit to people on both sides.

Pledging better cross-Straits development, Chu said in his speech that the KMT would be held responsible by the public, the next generation and history.

He said the peaceful development must continue and efforts should be made on cross-Straits exchanges and to make the achievements in cross-Straits development accessible to more.

He said the KMT will work on the basis of the 1992 Consensus.

Sunday's forum, presided over by Zhang Zhijun, head of the Taiwan Work Office of the CPC Central Committee, and Huang Ming-hui, KMT vice-chair, was attended by over 300 people including representatives of the two parties and some other political parties and groups, as well as businesspersons, scholars and young people from both sides of the Strait.

In his concluding statements, Zhang summed up suggestion proposed by the participants at panel discussions focusing on cooperation between the two sides' small and medium-sized enterprises, young people and general public at grassroots level, as well as exchanges on science and technology, culture and education.

Efforts are needed to promote the cross-Straits economic integration, pay more attention to how ordinary people feel about the development of ties between the two sides, create more opportunities for young students from the mainland and Taiwan to study, intern, work and start their own businesses, he said.

The KMT policy committee chief executive Lai Shyh-bao applauded the results of the forum while making his closing remarks, saying concrete and feasible proposals to continue cooperation across the Straits were outlined through face-to-face dialogues among attendees.

Ahead of the forum on Saturday, Yu met with Chu and his delegation. Chu's three-day visit to the mainland will be highlighted by his first meeting with Xi in Beijing on Monday.