U.S. lawmaker: President Hu's remarks on cross-Strait relations encouraging_English

Special Report: NPC, CPPCC Annual Sessions 2008

WASHINGTON, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao's appeal to resume cross-Strait dialogues and negotiations under the one China principle is encouraging and could help reduce tensions across the Taiwan Straits, a senior U.S. lawmaker said on Wednesday.

"What's a relief to me is the fact that the Chinese leaders are still willing to continue the dialogue, continue the one China policy," Eni Faleomavaega, chairman of the subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific and Global Environment of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives, told Xinhua.

"I think that is a good sign," he said, adding that he felt "very encouraged" by President Hu's statement about the willingness on the part of the mainland China to resume the cross-Strait dialogues.

President Hu made the appeal for the resumption of cross-Strait talks when he met with political advisors attending the first annual full session of the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference on Tuesday in Beijing.

"We are ready to have exchange, dialogue, consultation and negotiation with any political parties in Taiwan, as long as they recognize that both sides of the Taiwan Straits belong to one China," Hu said.

"The negotiation will be conducted on an equal footing with completely open topics -- there is nothing we can't talk about," the Chinese president added.

Faleomavaega, a representative from American Samoa, said that Hu's appeal will help put down the tensions across the Straits which are caused by Taiwan leader Chen Shuibian's push for "Taiwan independence."

As for U.S.-China relations, Faleomavaega said he would work in his capacity to make sure the bridge between China and the United States be connected.

"We have differences, but it is my hope that we will continue to dialogue and make sure that we don't have misunderstandings and miscommunications," he said.

"I hope that in the years to come, we don't look at our countries as adversaries but as partners in solving problems in our mutual interests," he said.