Beijing to boost ties with Taiwan groups backing ‘one China’

Beijing’s top Communist Party leader on Taiwan affairs said yesterday the mainland would increase exchanges with Taiwan parties and groups that upheld the one-China principle.

Yu Zhengsheng, the Communist Party’s No.4 and top political advisor, also said the mainland would stick to its current Taiwan policy – a stance that suggested, according to one analyst, that Beijing was still figuring out how to deal with the island’s president-elect Tsai Ing-wen and her new administration.

The comments, which come as the party convenes its annual cross-strait affairs conference, follow the victory of Taiwan’s pro-independence party in the island’s presidential and legislature elections last month.

“We will unswervingly…adhere to the one-China principle, firmly oppose and contain ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist activities in any form, safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity and push forward the peaceful development of cross-strait relations,” Xinhua quoted Yu as saying.

“The peaceful development of cross-strait ties is the correct path, and no one can resist the trend,” he added.

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A statement released after the meeting said efforts would be made to promote economic integration across the Taiwan Strait, including industrial and financial cooperation, to benefit as many small businesses, farmers and fishermen as possible. It said more measures would be adopted to facilitate exchanges in culture, education, tourism and religion.