Promotion of cross-Straits ties stressed

BEIJING - Top political advisor Yu Zhengsheng said Tuesday that more attention should be attached to the steady promotion and overall development of relations between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan.

Yu, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, made the remarks while meeting with a visiting delegation of retired generals from Taiwan, which was led by Hsu Li-nung.

"We are willing to see civilian exchanges and discussion on promoting the establishment of a cross-Strait military security confidence-building mechanism so as to create conditions for solving cross-Strait political problems in the future," he said.

Yu said he hopes the visiting retired generals could play a greater role in promoting the peaceful development of cross-Strait ties.

He reiterated that the new leadership of the Communist Party of China will maintain consistency in policies toward Taiwan, unswervingly promoting peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and the peaceful reunification of the motherland, in a bid to continuously advance cross-Strait relations and bring greater welfare to both sides.

Yu also expressed gratitude to people in Taiwan for their aid to victims in the deadly 7.0-magnitude earthquake that shook southwest China's Sichuan Province last month.

During the meeting, Hsu said he will continue to make efforts in promoting the establishment of a cross-Strait military security confidence-building mechanism and the peaceful development of ties between the two sides.