Mainland to continue Taiwan policies for peaceful ties: top official

XIAMEN, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Top political advisor Yu Zhengsheng on Sunday promised that the Chinese mainland will continue "correct policies" to consolidate peaceful mainland-Taiwan ties.

Yu, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, made the remarks in a keynote speech at the fifth Straits Forum, which opens in the coastal city of Xiamen in southeast China's Fujian Province on Sunday.

"Our new leadership will continue to boost the cross-Strait relations by following the correct guideline and dedicating itself to consolidating the political, economic, cultural and social foundation for the peaceful development of the cross-Strait relations," Yu said.

He said the relations have improved significantly over the past five years, and the fruitful exchanges and cooperations have opened a new era of peaceful development, bringing substantial benefits to the people on both sides.

A group of new policies were announced at the forum with aims to facilitate further exchanges between the mainland and Taiwan.

Yu said the key to the peaceful development lies in the success of the two sides in opposing the "Taiwan independence" and adhering to the "1992 consensus."