The National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference holds a news conference on March 2, 2019. [Photo/Xinhua]

China's development path wins international admiration

By CAO DESHENG

China's development path has been praised by the international community, Guo Weiming, spokesman for the second annual session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said at a press conference on Saturday.

Guo said the international community has given a thumbs up to the country's achievements and its path of peaceful development and win-win-cooperation, adding China's good friends have been increasing, whether they are from neighboring countries or from Africa, Europe, Latin America, Pacific island countries or other areas.

Coupled with its tremendous development outcomes, China's proposals for building a community with a shared future for mankind and building a new type of international relations have won broad international support, Guo said.

The China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative has helped the country win more and more friends from around the world, he added.

Guo rebutted outside accusations of China as a threat, which, he said, mean to purposefully discredit the country.

He said China will promote international communications to help the international community understand the country and enhance exchanges and cooperation with other countries.

Reunification is goal as Chinese mainland to deepen democratic consultation in Taiwan

By ZHANG YI

The Chinese mainland will deepen democratic consultation with parties and individuals from Taiwan to push forward peaceful national reunification, a spokesman said on Saturday.

On the political basis of adhering to the 1992 Consensus with the one-China principle and opposing "Taiwan independence", forms of democratic consultation can be flexible and diverse, Guo Weimin, spokesman for the second session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said at a press conference.

President Xi Jinping said in a speech at a gathering to commemorate the 40th anniversary of issuing Message to Compatriots in Taiwan on Jan 2 that the principles of "peaceful reunification" and "one country, two systems" are the best approach to realizing national reunification.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, proposed that the mainland and Taiwan conduct democratic consultation on cross-Straits relations and establish institutional arrangement for peaceful development.

The proposal of democratic consultation across the Taiwan Straits has won wide applause, Guo said, adding that democratic consultation is a more extensive and full democracy. It will play an important role in promoting exchanges between people, resolving differences and building consensus of the two sides, he said.

It will also help Taiwan residents participate in the development of cross-Straits relations and the peaceful reunification of the motherland, he added.

"By advocating democratic consultation, we are placing our hope on the people of Taiwan and respecting the mainstream public opinion of the island," Guo said.

"However, the Democratic Progressive Party, the island's ruling party, rejected the 1992 Consensus and refused to conduct political negotiations with the mainland, ignoring the people's demands for reunification," he added.

Therefore, the democratic consultation can provide a more open channel for Taiwan residents to express their opinions, he said. "It will not affect or replace the cross-Straits negotiation, but provide solid public support."

Guo said that the CPPCC provides an important channel for cross-Straits democratic consultation to reach the institutional arrangement for peaceful reunification.

"We will continue to deepen exchanges with various parties, organizations and individuals of the island, and work with our compatriots in Taiwan to promote the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations and the peaceful reunification of the motherland," he said.