两岸专家肯定习马会的意义

The meeting on Saturday afternoon in Singapore, the first time the leaders from the mainland and Taiwan have met face to face in 66-years, is believed to be the culmination of years of trust-building on both sides.

China Central Television politicial commentator Zhou Qing'an suggests the "1992 Consensus," otherwise known as the "One China Policy," is what made the meeting between the two leaders possible.

"As Xi Jinping suggested in his speech, the two sides across the Taiwan Straits are 'one family' which both share the same Chinese dream. This is a very important thing to keep in mind when we talk about the development of cross-Straits relations. The idea of a 'community of shared destiny' is not only the consolidation of the 1992 Consensus. More importantly, it is the basic concept for the further development of cross-Strait relations. I would say the Chinese dream is a common dream shared by the 'Community of shared destiny."

The "1992 Concensus" holds that both sides agree there is only one China, but can maintain their own interpretation of what that means.

Through this, it allowed both sides to open the door for political reproachment after years of mutual isolation.

But while there have been ups-and-downs in the relationship across the Straits over the past 23-years, professor Yu Tzu-hsiang with Shih Hsing University in Taiwan says Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou's time in office has seen a significant amount of headway made in reproachment with the mainland.

"Ma Ying-jeou has said very proudly that the cross-Straits status quo established in his 7-years' service is a consensus both in Taiwan and between the two sides of the Straits, and is of great benefit to Taiwan. The meeting between the leaders of the two sides shows that Ma's path over the past 7-years is correct."

Many observers have been keying on one statement made during Xi Jinping's speech on Saturday where he said the mainland and Taiwan can never be pulled apart no matter how many ordeals the two sides have undergone and how long they have been isolated from each other.

Yin Cunyi, vice-director of the Institute of Taiwan Studies with Tsinghua University, says it's this idea which both sides should use to keep the political process moving forward.

"The short speech Xi Jinping made was full of emotion, particularly when he said nothing can sever the kinship across the Straits. I think it demonstrates the historical responsibilities the leaders on both sides understand and have chosen to accept. As such, increasing cross-Strait exchanges and communication is only going to benefit people on both sides."

Over the past 7-years, 23 different agreements have been signed between the mainland and Taiwan.

Through this, cross-Straits trade has increased to some 170-billion US dollars a year, and continues to increase.

At the same time, over 8-million people are making their way to and from the mainland and Taiwan every year.

It's widely expected more direct flight routes will also be opening up, allowing that number to increase even further.

For CRI, this is Li Jianhua.