Li Weiyi, spokesman of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, told a news briefing that such an attempt is a "new" and "dangerous" step made by the Taiwan leader who continues to push secession and exposes his intention to speed up secessionist activities.

    On Aug. 10, Burkina Faso, Gambia and a few other countries, under the subornation of the Taiwan authorities, wrote to the UN secretary-general, requesting the 61st session of the UN General Assembly to discuss the issue and a proposal on the maintenance of peace across the Taiwan Straits.

    The General Committee of the 61st Session of the UN General Assembly decided on Tuesday against inclusion into the agenda of the current session the so-called "question of the representation of Taiwan in the UN".

    Li said the UN's rejection demonstrated the majority of UN members believed there was only one China, and Taiwan, as part of China, was not qualified to join the United Nations in any name or through any means.

    Li said it had been proved, and it would continue to be proved that any actions breaching the tenet of the UN Charter and the Resolution 2758 of the UN General Assembly, no matter what guises they took, would have no support from the vast majority of UN member countries and were therefore doomed to failure.

    Li also denounced the Taiwan leader's attempt to push "de jure independence" through so-called "constitutional reform", saying such activities would seriously damage cross-Strait relations and harm the interests of compatriots and peace across the Taiwan Strait.

    On Wednesday, China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang also issued a statement, hailing UN's rejection of Taiwan's "representation" proposal.

    Qin urged the Taiwan authorities and certain countries used by the Taiwan authorities to follow the historical trend and stop all secessionist activities.

    The Resolution 2758 was adopted in 1971 at the 26th UN General Assembly, which granted the People's Republic of China full legal status in the United Nations.

    Since 1993, the General Assembly has for the 14th time thwarted Taiwan's attempts to join the world body composed of sovereign states. Enditem

Mainland hopes Taiwan can preserve social stability

    BEIJING, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese official expressed hope here Wednesday that Taiwan can preserve its stability amid protests demanding the resignation of the island's leader Chen Shui-bian.

    Li Weiyi, spokesman of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said at a news briefing "We have taken note of relevant reports" from local media about the protest, and "We do not want to see unfortunate events occur."

Cross-Strait Agricultural Co-op Forum to be held

    BEIJING, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- The Cross-Strait Agricultural Cooperation Forum will be held from Oct. 17 to 18 in Bo'ao, Hainan Province, said Li Weiyi, spokesman of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council here on Wednesday.

    Li said the forum could not be convened in Taiwan as originally planned as authorities on the island would not allow mainland delegates to attend.

Administration measures to benefit cross-straits news exchanges: spokesman

    BEIJING, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- News exchange and cooperation across the Taiwan Straits will proceed more smoothly after the promulgation of the measures concerning foreign news agencies' release of news and information in China, said a spokesman on Wednesday.

    The measures, which went into effect on Sept. 10, will apply to the release of news and information on the mainland by news agencies and similar organizations in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Macao Special Administrative Region and Taiwan.

Family of injured Taiwanese tourists to arrive in China

    CHANGCHUN, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- Twenty-four family members of 18 Taiwanese tourists injured in a fatal traffic accident in northeast China will on Wednesday night arrive in Yanji, capital of the Korean Autonomous Prefecture of Yanbian, Jilin Province.

    Meanwhile, two senior doctors dispatched by the provincial health authorities will also arrive Wednesday night to help treat the injured.

Two Beijing doctors sent to save injured Taiwanese tourists

    CHANGCHUN, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- Two senior doctors sent by the Ministry of Health arrived in the northeastern Chinese city of Yanji Wednesday afternoon to help save 18 Taiwanese tourists injured in Monday's fatal traffic accident.

    They are Li Jingsheng, a neurosurgery expert from Beijing Tiantan Hospital, and Song Feiqiang, a cerebral surgery expert from Beijing Anzhen Hospital.

Related:

China hails UN rejection of Taiwan's "representation" proposal

Wang Guangya (C), Chinese permanent representative to the United Nations, shakes hands with a participant (1st, R) from Chile during the General Committee of the 61st Session of the UN General Assembly in New York, the United States, on Sept. 12, 2006. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery >>>

    BEIJING, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman hailed here Wednesday the United Nations (UN) rejection of Taiwan's "representation" proposal.

    "Any actions breaching the tenet of the UN Charter and the Resolution 2758 of the UN General Assembly, or challenging the one-China principle will be unpopular among the vast majority of UN member countries", spokesman Qin Gang said in a statement issued by the Chinese Foreign Ministry early on Wednesday.

UN assembly rejects Taiwan "representation" proposal

Participants attend General Committee of the 61st Session of the UN General Assembly in New York, the United States, on Sept. 12, 2006. The General Committee of the 61st Session of the UN General Assembly decided on Tuesday not to include into the agenda of the current session the so-called "question of the representation of Taiwan in the UN." (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery >>>

    UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 12 (Xinhua) -- The General Committee of the 61st Session of the UN General Assembly decided on Tuesday not to include into the agenda of the current session the so-called "question of the representation of Taiwan in the UN."

    Since 1993, the General Assembly has for the 14th consecutive time thwarted Taiwan's attempt to join the world body composed of sovereign states.