‘Taiwan independence’ biggest threat to cross-straits ties: official

The Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council warned Taiwan on Thursday that maintaining stable development with the Chinese mainland is the right path that will benefit people across the Taiwan Straits and the island's economy. "It must be seen that the forces of 'Taiwan independence' are obstinately and resolutely promoting their separatist position, and this is the biggest threat to the peace and stability of the Taiwan Straits," Zhang Zhijun, head of China's Taiwan Affairs Office, said at a Thursday conference. Taiwan's People First Party's (PFP) Chairman James Soong Chu-yul announced Thursday that he will run for the island's 2016 leader's election. Earlier, the opposition Democratic Progressive Party endorsed its chairwoman, Tsai Ing-wen, to run in the 2016 election while the ruling party Kuomintang (KMT) has nominated Hung Hsiu-chu as candidate. Reading from a statement, Soong promised to "build a framework for sustainable and peaceful development across the Taiwan Straits," saying a peaceful and stable relationship between Taiwan and the mainland conforms to the common interests of both sides. He said people living on both sides of the Straits should deepen communication and enhance mutual trust. Soong gave up his KMT membership and ran an unsuccessful bid in 2000 as an independent. He later founded the PFP and has since served as the party chairman. He has already made three unsuccessful attempts to win the election. Chu Li-luan, the KMT chairman, said history shows that splitting supporters of the KMT has proved to be unhelpful in winning the race. He added that the party will put all its efforts into seeking public support. Wang Jianmin, a research fellow with the Taiwan Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times that it is very unlikely for Soong to win the election given that he has failed in his previous bids. "Soong could only attract support of a limited number of people who have lost confidence in the KMT. Both parties will find it difficult to win the election and if Tsai wins, it will have a damaging impact on the ties between the island and the Chinese mainland as Tsai proposes 'implicit Taiwan independence,'" he said.