BEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- The attempts of "Taiwan independence" secessionist forces to deny the reality that the mainland and Taiwan belong to one and the same China and to undermine peace in the Taiwan Straits are doomed to fail, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said here Wednesday.

Wen made the remarks while delivering a report on the work of his cabinet at the opening meeting of the annual full session of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature.

"We firmly oppose 'Taiwan independence' secessionist activities, and will never allow anyone to separate Taiwan from the motherland in any guise or by any means," Wen said, winning applauses from nearly 3,000 national legislators and more than 2,000 political advisors in the Great Hall of the People in downtown Beijing.

"Any issue that concerns China's sovereignty and territorial integrity must be decided by all the Chinese people, including our Taiwan compatriots," he said.

The premier pledged that the mainland will pursue peaceful development of cross-Straits relations, encourage compatriots on both sides to increase contacts and common understanding, actively promote cross-Straits economic and cultural exchanges, and work for the resumption of direct links of mail, transport and trade.

"We will implement and improve the policies and measures designed to benefit our compatriots in Taiwan and support economic development on the west coast of the Straits in Fujian Province and in other areas where Taiwan investment is concentrated," Wen said.

"We will work for the early resumption of cross-Straits negotiations on the basis of the one-China principle to address major issues of concern to compatriots on both sides," he added.

Chen Zhengtong, an NPC deputy, spoke highly of Wen's report on Wednesday.

"In my view, it will dispel misunderstanding and enhance mutual trust if the mainland and Taiwan can further promote cross-Straits economic and cultural exchanges," said Chen, of the Fujian Provincial Research Institute of Culture and History.

"So long as the Taiwan compatriots have more contacts with the mainland, see with their own eyes the rapid development of the mainland and the goodwill released by the mainland, they will not be deluded by the 'Taiwan independence' forces," he said.

The opinion was echoed by legislator Shi Yongxin, abbot of the famous Shaolin Temple in central China's Henan Province, the holy place for Kung-fu fans worldwide.

"I hope the mainland and Taiwan can carry out more exchanges in Buddhism circle," the monk said.

On Tuesday, Chinese President Hu Jintao also said "Taiwan independence" activities "will get nowhere and are doomed to fail".

Hu pledged that the mainland will make utmost effort to do a good job in anything that is good to the Taiwan compatriots and conducive to safeguarding peace in the Taiwan Straits and promoting the peaceful reunification of the motherland.

"We are always committed to our pledges to the Taiwan compatriots. We will never sway upon temporary fluctuations of the situation, or change upon a few individuals' deliberate disturbances," the president told political advisors attending the first annual full session of the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference in Beijing.

On March 14, 2005, the NPC ratified the Anti-Secession Law with an overwhelming vote of 2,896 to nil, setting a legal framework to prevent Taiwan's secession from China and to promote peaceful national reunification.

Source: Xinhua