The Chinese mainland's top Taiwan affairs official has said that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait expect new chances for the development of cross-Strait relations based on upholding the "1992 Consensus."

Wang Yi, director of both the Taiwan Work Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, made the remarks in this year's second volume of the magazine "Relations Across Taiwan Straits," which is in the process of being published.

"We hope the two sides of the Strait make efforts to maintain the common political foundation of opposing the 'Taiwan independence' stance and adhering to the '1992 Consensus,' which safeguards the long-term and stable development of the cross-Strait relations," he said.

In November 1992, the mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) and the Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) reached a consensus in which each of the two organizations acknowledges that "both sides of the Taiwan Strait adhere to the one-China principle." The agreement has since served as a significant basis for cross-Strait negotiations and peaceful development.

"Based on this foundation, the two sides should promote mutual trust and seek more agreements while trying to resolve the divergences," he added.

Moreover, Wang pledged further practical measures to advance the development of cross-Strait relations in an orderly and gradual manner, which will include efforts to promote cross-Strait economic cooperations and the cross-Strait talks between the ARATS and the SEF, as well as the scheduled signing of a cross-Strait investment protection agreement.

"We are also willing to accumulate agreements and lay conditions to handle the political and military issues between the two sides, on the basis of mutual understanding and fair negotiation," Wang said.

Efforts will also be made to expand and deepen cross-Strait exchanges in various fields and facilitate contacts between the people on the two sides, he said.

"We have full confidence and expectation in the prospect of the cross-Strait ties. The confidence and expectation are generated from the two sides' common will, the fundamental agreements and the public's acknowledgement and support of the development of cross-Strait relations."

"In brief, we have confidence because we are compatriots with the same ancestry, and the blood lineage is the momentum for the progress of the cross-Strait ties," he wrote.

Wang also said that at the very beginning of 2012, cross-Strait relations overcame a major test, and Taiwan compatriots have made a decision for peace, cooperation and progress in cross-Strait relations, instead of turmoil, confrontation and regress.

In a separate article to be published in the same edition, Chen Yunlin, the ARATS president, remarked that 2011 was the 20th anniversary of the founding of the ARATS and the SEF.

The communication and talks between the ARATS and SEF over the 20 years is a reflection of the progressive history of the cross-Strait relations over the same period, he said.

The "1992 Consensus" is the premise for the talks between the ARATS and SEF, and it is also the basis for the cross-Strait relations development, he said.

Wang and Chen also extended their Spring Festival greetings to Taiwan compatriots in their articles respectively.

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