Chinese President Hu Jintao says Beijing will continue to work to improve ties with Taiwan, but stressed the mainland will not recognize any moves towards formal independence by the self-ruled island.
Mr. Hu praised the improving relations between the two rivals in a speech Wednesday marking the 30th anniversary of China's call to its "compatriots" in Taiwan for peaceful reunification.
The Chinese leader says Beijing is receptive to Taipei's desire to join international organizations. But he warned there will be no change in Beijing's "One China" policy, in which the mainland claims sovereignty over Taiwan.
Mr. Hu also says China would make a "positive response" if Taiwan's opposition Democratic Progressive Party drops its pro-independence stance.
He suggested Beijing and Taiwan could eventually discuss establishing a joint military mechanism.
Relations between China and Taiwan have been steadily improving since President Ma Ying-jeou took office in May, promising closer ties with the mainland. They recently recently resumed direct air, sea and postal links after nearly six decades.
Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalist army fled to Taiwan after losing a civil war to the Chinese communists in 1949. China vowed to retake Taiwan through "armed liberation" for the next three decades. It formally reversed the policy on New Year's Day, 1979.
But Beijing has vowed to invade if Taipei formally declares its independence.
གཟའ་ལྷག་པ། ༢༠༢༤/༠༤/༢༤