Mainland's Taiwan affairs official meets with KMT vice chairman

TAIYUAN, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Song Tao, head of both the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, on Wednesday met with Andrew Hsia, vice chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) party, in the city of Yuncheng, Shanxi Province.

At present, "Taiwan independence" separatist forces are colluding with external forces to take provocative actions designed to divide the country, which harms the interests of Taiwan compatriots and undermines peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, Song said.

Taiwan is faced with a major choice between peace and war, and between prosperity and recession, he noted.

Song said the mainland side will work with the KMT and other relevant political parties, organizations and people from all walks of life on the island, on the common political foundation of adhering to the 1992 Consensus and opposing "Taiwan independence," to bring cross-Strait relations back to the right track of peaceful development and contribute to national rejuvenation.

Hsia said that, on the political basis of upholding the 1992 Consensus and opposing "Taiwan independence," the KMT is willing to continue strengthening exchanges and cooperation with the mainland and promoting the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, thus benefiting compatriots on both sides of the Strait.