Premier Wen Jiabao said Saturday (March 5) the Chinese mainland will continue working to restore consultation and negotiation between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits under the one-China principle and on the basis of equality.

"We will make the greatest possible effort to do anything conducive to the development of cross-Straits relations and the country's peaceful reunification," Wen said in his government work report to the annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC).

Wen said the mainland will adhere to the basic principles of "peaceful reunification" and "one country, two systems" and the eight-point proposal for the current stage of efforts to develop cross-Straits relations and promote peaceful reunification of the motherland, safeguard peace in the Taiwan Straits and facilitate steady development of cross-Straits relations.

"We will encourage and promote visits by individuals and economic and cultural exchanges and cooperation across the Straits. We will encourage and facilitate establishment of the 'three direct links' between the two sides," said Wen.

Wen said the Anti-Secession Law (draft), which will be deliberated in the current NPC session, provides a full expression of the mainland's unvarying position, which is that "we are working most sincerely and energetically to bring about peaceful reunification".

"This law represents the common will and strong determination of the entire Chinese people to safeguard the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country and never allow secessionist forces working for "Taiwan independence" to separate Taiwan from China under any name or by any means," he said.

"We will work together with our Taiwan compatriots to accomplish the great undertaking of reunifying the motherland," Wen said.

Chinese lawmakers and top political advisors expressed their support of the making of the anti-secession law.

"As the 'Taiwan independence' secessionist activities are becoming more rampant, it is very crucial to make this law now," said Xu Shiquan, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), in an interview with Xinhua.

Xu, also vice-president of the National Society of Taiwan Studies, said that the law aims to check "Taiwan independence" secessionist activities. It's by no means a law to "unilaterally alter the status quo" across the Taiwan Straits and a "war mobilization law".

Editor: Catherine