A spokesperson for the Chinese central authorities said Wednesday that the "one-China" principle is the precondition for the resumption of talks and dialogue across the Taiwan Strait.

Zhang Mingqing, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said at a press conference here Wednesday morning that the central government's stance on cross-strait dialogue and negotiations remains unchanged.

The Association for Relations Across Taiwan Straits (ARATS) of the mainland and the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) of Taiwan reached the consensus in 1992 that "both sides across the Taiwan Strait stick to the 'one-China' principle", though each side may have their own interpretations, said the spokesman.

"We have repeatedly called for an early resumption of dialogue and talks across the Strait on the basis of the 'one-China' principle," he stressed.

"As long as the Taiwan authorities accept the 1992 Consensus, the dialogue and talks between the two sides can resume immediately," he added.

(Xinhua News Agency October 13, 2004)