(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-02-06 14:17

BEIJING - A leading official in charge of cross-straits affairs extended Chinese Lunar New Year greetings to Taiwan compatriots on Wednesday.

"We have pushed the personnel, economic and cultural exchanges and cooperation across the Taiwan Straits to a new high over the past year," Chen Yunlin, director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and of the State Council, said in a New Year speech posted on the www. Chinataiwan.org.

He pointed out that people across the Taiwan Straits are brothers in flesh and blood, and share the same fundamental interests. They worked together last year to combat the "Taiwan-independence" separatist activities and firmly safeguarded the stability and peace across the straits.

The year 2008 will be an important year for the cross-straits relationship. We will offer sincerely the practical help for the benefits of the Taiwan people, Chen said.

The Chinese on both sides of the straits should seize the opportunity to promote mutual understanding and benefit, thus ushering in a new and peaceful phase of common development, he said.

"Let's join hand in hand for the development of cross-straits relations and for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation," Chen said.

On Tuesday, the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council also extended greetings to all overseas Chinese, returned overseas Chinese and their relatives.