Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, addresses a commemorative event in Hong Kong, south China, Sept. 4, 2017, to mark the 30th anniversary of the opening of people-to-people communication across the Taiwan Strait. (Xinhua/Wang Xi)
HONG KONG, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- A commemorative event was held here on Monday to mark the 30th anniversary of the opening of people-to-people communication across the Taiwan Strait.
In a speech delivered at the event, Tung Chee-hwa, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, highlighted the development of the cross-Strait relations over the past 30 years
He said the three-decade growth of cross-Strait ties has shown that promoting cross-Strait communication and cooperation and realizing common development have become the consensus and expectations of cross-Strait compatriots.
Tung stressed that cross-Strait communication, cooperation and integrated development are the shared aspirations and irresistible trend of the times, so does the national reunification.
Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), said at the event that Hong Kong has been playing a significant role in enhancing cross-Strait communication and cooperation, and promoting development of cross-Strait relations.
She said the peaceful and stable development of the cross-Strait and Hong Kong-Taiwan relations is the shared aspiration of all the people and the HKSAR government will continue to press ahead with the Hong Kong-Taiwan and cross-Strait ties in accordance with relevant laws, principles and policies.
Zhang Zhijun, head of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said cross-Strait communication over the past 30 years has produced achievements, but they are hard-won achievements which should be cherished so as to bring about more benefits for cross-Strait compatriots.
Reform and opening up of the mainland has offered vast space for expanding cross-Strait communication, especially for the development of Taiwan compatriots in the mainland, Zhang said, adding adherence to the one-China principle and opposition against Taiwan independence provides a strong guarantee for cross-Strait communication and cooperation.
He called on Taiwan compatriots to join hands with those from the mainland, Hong Kong and Macao, to make contributions to the well-being of the Chinese people as well as national reunification and rejuvenation.
Yok Mu-ming, chairman of Taiwan's New Party, called for more cross-Strait communication to make Taiwan youth better understand the mainland and the process of the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
He stressed that peaceful development and ultimate reunification is always the major axis of the cross-Strait relations, and rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is always the main aspiration of the development of the cross-Strait relations.
The commemorative event was organized by community groups from the mainland, Taiwan and Hong Kong, including All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots, Cross-Strait Peaceful Development Federation, and Cross-Strait Peace & Development Union, with participation of more than 1,000 people.
