Overseas Chinese in U.S. hold forum on peaceful cross-Strait development

HOUSTON, Nov. 1 (Xinhua) -- Overseas Chinese at a forum here on Sunday called for deepened mutual trust and cooperation across the Taiwan Straits so as to create a brighter future for China's peaceful reunification.

The 2009 Global Forum on China's Peaceful Development, which concluded on Sunday, was aimed at promoting peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and promoting China's reunification.

The delegates, mostly from organizations of overseas Chinese supportive of China's reunification, agreed at the forum that peace and development across the Taiwan Straits are in the interests of the Chinese nation and all Chinese people.

They called on their compatriots to oppose all kinds of "Taiwan Independence" forces and expressed confidence that China's reunification will be achieved through concerted efforts from all Chinese people.

The forum was of "great significance" because it was held at an important point in the development of cross-Strait relationship, Zhou Wenzhong, China's ambassador to the United States, said in a written statement to the forum.

Cross-Strait relations reached a historic turn in 2008 and is now on the right track, Zhou said.

In May 2008, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Hu Jintao met in Beijing with then Kuomintang Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung from Taiwan.

The meeting accelerated the assumption of talks between the mainland-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits(ARATS) and the Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), two organizations authorized to handle cross-Strait issues.

In three rounds of talks since June 2008, the ARATS and the SEF signed agreements on tourism, direct shipping, air transport, postal services, food safety, regular flights, cooperation in finance and fighting crimes.