(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-10-15 22:09

The Taiwan part of Hu Jintao's two-and-a-half-hour speech lasted for less than five minutes, but was interrupted by applauses at least four times.

He called for discussions with the Taiwan side to put a formal end to the state of hostility and reach a peace agreement under the condition of one-China principle.

"This is another call for peaceful dialogue across the Straits and shows the mainland side's utmost sincerity to resolve the Taiwan issue in a peaceful manner," said Liu Guoshen, an expert on Taiwan studies at Xiamen University in Fujian.

Liu noted expressions like "use of force" or "Taiwan question must not drag on endlessly" did not appear in the report. "This shows the CPC Central Committee's confidence in, and respect of, the Taiwan compatriots," he said, "but it doesn't mean the Central Committee is compromising whatsoever on its principled stand."

Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian and the ruling Democratic Progressive Party have been promoting "referendum" and "Normal Country Resolution" this year in an attempt to split the island from China. Three weeks ago, the General Committee of the 62nd session of the UN General Assembly decided not to include the so- called issue of "Taiwan's participation in the United Nations," which was raised by the Solomon Islands and a very few other countries, into the agenda of the General Assembly.

"China's sovereignty and territorial integrity brook no division, and any matter in this regard must be decided by the entire Chinese people including our Taiwan compatriots," Hu told more than 2,200 delegates attending the congress on Monday.

"Hu said the 1.3 billion people on the mainland and the 23 million people in Taiwan are of the same blood and share a common destiny -- that impressed me very much," said Lin Mingyue, a Taiwan-born delegate and vice president of All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots.

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