HISTORIC MOMENT: Hu, Lien meet in Beijing
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2005-04-29 15:49

Hu Jintao, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said in Beijing Friday that people from both sides across the Taiwan Straits should show the world capability and wisdom in addressing disputes and other problems.

HISTORIC HANDSHAKE: CPC General Secretary Hu Jintao (R) shakes hands with visiting KMT chairman Lien Chan in Beijing April 29, 2005. Lien is on an 8-day historic mainland visit. He has visited Nanjing and will continue his visit to Xi'an and Shanghai after Beijing. [Xinhua]

Hu said he is very glad to have a "historic meeting" with Lien Chan, adding the meeting indicated that exchanges between the two parties have entered "a new development stage" and reflected their common determination and sincerity to boost cross-Straits relations.

In his meeting with visiting Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) Party Chairman Lien Chan, Hu said that both CPC and KMT need to carefully study real thinking of the people across the Straits and follow the prevailing trend of public opinions.

"Both of us should jointly strive for peace and stability in order to create the great revitalization of the Chinese nation,"Hu said.

Hu said the Chinese mainland has, for many times, extended welcome to delegations of political parties and groups in Taiwan to come for exchanges and dialogs for improvement and developmentof relations across the Taiwan Straits.

Hu said the "historic meeting" between him and Chairman Lien Chan marked that exchanges between the two parties have entered "a new development stage" and reflected their common determination and sincerity to boost cross-Straits relations.

CPC General Secretary Hu Jintao (R) shakes hands with visiting KMT chairman Lien Chan in Beijing April 29, 2005. [Reuters]

This common step taken by the two parties will "go down in the history of the development of cross-Straits relations," said Hu. This is the first meeting between top leaders of the two parties in six decades. 

Lien offered reconciliation in his meeting with Hu, saying "we cannot change the past, but we can grasp the opportunities of the future."

"We proceed today to achieve happiness and benefits for people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits, with goodwill and on the basis of mutual trust," Lien said during a meeting with Hu Jintao, general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee.

This is the first meeting between top leaders of the two parties in 60 years.

He called for efforts to avoid confrontation and conflicts, and "seek reconciliation and dialog."

Lien spoke highly of Hu's four-point guideline on cross-Straits relations proposed in early March, saying it is a "call for peace" and is positive in guiding the development of cross-Straits ties.

The meeting, held in the Great Hall of the People in downtown Beijing, is the first between top leaders of the two parties in 60 years.

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