Forum held in Beijing to promote Chinese culture

BEIJING, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- More than 200 government officials, scholars, and representatives of non-governmental organizations from the mainland, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan gathered in a forum in Beijing Wednesday to promote cultural innovation and develop Chinese culture.

Chinese culture is the root and spirit connecting the people of the mainland and Taiwan, said Liu Jieyi, vice director of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, at the forum's opening ceremony.

Liu called on compatriots from both sides of the strait to enhance mutual understanding of ethnic, cultural and national identity, and maintain the mutual spiritual bond between the two peoples.

The cultural communication across the strait has lasted a long time and become increasingly active, even as cross-strait relations have gone through ups and downs since 1987, said Liu.

Wang Yifu, president of the All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots, said in the ceremony that people on both sides of the strait should carry on the responsibility of developing and enriching Chinese culture.

The forum will last for two days, and is hosted by Peking University and All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots. Enditem