Congress of Taiwan compatriots told to strive for dream of rejuvenation

Taiwan compatriots were called on to strive for national reunification and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation during a congress that concluded in Beijing on Wednesday.

The 11th National Congress of Taiwan Compatriots, which opened on Tuesday, was attended by over 300 representatives of Taiwan compatriots' federations from across the country.

Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said at the meeting on Tuesday that over the past decade, the CPC has put forward a policy framework for resolving the Taiwan question in the new era.

The CPC has promoted exchanges and cooperation across the Taiwan Straits, and resolutely opposed separatist activities aimed at "Taiwan independence "and foreign interference, thus maintaining the initiative and the ability to steer cross-Straits relations, he said.

Over the past five years, the federations of Taiwan compatriots, at various levels, have played an important role in advancing the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations and deepening the integrated development of sectors across the Taiwan Straits, he said.

Wang urged resolute efforts from the federations to push forward national reunification and actively promote cross-Straits exchanges and deepen integrated development in various fields.

The two-day congress deliberated on a work report of the 10th council of the All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots and also reviewed an amendment to the federation's constitution.

A new 113-member federation council was elected and Zheng Jianmin was elected in as ACFTC president.

Zheng said the meeting was a significant event that will help facilitate the federation's work in the new era.

"We will continue to promote cross-Straits people-to-people exchanges, deepen integrated development across the Straits in all fields and bring people on both sides closer to each other so as to gather strength for the reunification of the motherland and rejuvenation of the nation," he said.

Born in 1965, Zheng is of Han ethnicity and from Taipei, Taiwan. He graduated from East China Normal University and has a doctorate in science.

Zheng is also a member of the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League, one of the non-CPC political parties in China.

Established in December 1981, the ACFTC consists mainly of Taiwan compatriots residing on the Chinese mainland.

Xinhua contributed to this story.