国内英语新闻:CPC, KMT leaders meeting significant for cross-Strait ties: spokesperson

BEIJING, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- A meeting between the leaders of the Communist Party of China and the Kuomintang (KMT) party will be significant for safeguarding the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, a Chinese mainland spokesperson said Wednesday.

An Fengshan, spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, made the remarks in regard to the upcoming visit of Hung Hsiu-chu, leader of the KMT in Taiwan.

Hung is scheduled to lead a delegation to visit the mainland from Oct. 30 to Nov. 3, the mainland-based office said Monday.

Under the current situation, interaction between the two parties and efforts to consolidate common political ground will have a positive impact on keeping peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, An said.

There have been many meetings between leaders of the two parties in the past. In 2005 when cross-Strait ties were at a critical moment, the heads of the two parties held a "historic meeting" confirming their adherence to the 1992 Consensus, which affirms the one-China principle and opposes "Taiwan independence."

An said the agreement to regularly communicate made at that meeting pointed to a "bright road" for the cross-Strait ties to develop.

Since then, the two parties have maintained communication, which has contributed to peaceful relations, the spokesperson said.

An said the two parties and both sides of the Taiwan Strait have opened a new chapter in the peaceful development of cross-Strait ties and have made a series of achievements since 2008.

Those achievements were possible because the two sides established common political ground by upholding the 1992 Consensus and opposing "Taiwan independence."

An pointed out that it is crucial for both parties to maintain sound communication to ensure the development of peaceful cross-Strait relations.