China, Taiwan should resume talks soonest

BEIJING, Apr 16: Chinese Communist Party chief Hu Jintao today called for talks between China and Taiwan as soon as possible to maintain peace in the region.

China and Taiwan should ''resume talks on an equal footing as soon as possible'', Hu told Lien Chan, former chairman of Taiwan's main opposition Nationalist Party, days ahead of Hu's summit with US President George W Bush in Washington.

Throughout his speech, Hu stressed the importance of peace between the mainland and the island it claims as its own and has threatened to retake by force if it formally declares independence.

REUTERS