Mainland's Taiwan affairs chief warns against 'Taiwan independence'

BEIJING - Zhang Zhijun, the Chinese mainland's Taiwan affairs chief, has warned that "Taiwan independence" will lead to nothing but "a dead end."

"'Taiwan independence' is not an option for the future of Taiwan," according to Zhang, who is head of both the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council.

He made the remarks on Wednesday when meeting with an industry and commerce delegation from Taiwan.

"This is a verdict proven by history."

The key to ensuring that cross-Straits relations develop peacefully lies in adhering to the political foundation that features the one-China principle, Zhang said.

The past 20 years has shown that this common political foundation has facilitated the steady development of cross-Straits relations, and benefited people from both sides of the Taiwan Strait, he said.

Deviating from this principle, however, is sure to create tension and disorder, the official added.

Taiwan's new leader Tsai Ing-wen neither clarified her attitude toward the nature of cross-Straits relations nor answered explicitly when pressed about her stance on this important matter of principle, he said. "This will certainly harm the stable development of cross-Straits relations."

It is the opinion of some people that the prevalent will of the people of Taiwan should be valued, Zhang said.

We could understand the attitudes and feelings of the Taiwan people, which are by-products of their particular historical and social experiences. However, the feelings of the 1.37-billion people on the Chinese mainland should also be known and valued by Taiwan society, Zhang said.

The people on the mainland have not forgotten the time when the country was weak and subject to foreign invasions and national secession. Therefore, they are steadfast in their resolution to safeguard national reunification and reject national secession, Zhang added.

The peaceful development of cross-Straits relations can only be maintained if the Taiwan authority completely discards "Taiwan independence" and upholds the principle of both sides of the Taiwan Strait belonging to one China, Zhang said.

Zhang called on compatriots from both sides of the Strait, including industry and commerce groups in Taiwan, to work together to maintain the hard-won positive progression of cross-Straits ties.