Seminar urges efforts to boost growth of people's well-being on both sides of Taiwan Strait

A seminar on cross-Strait relations opened in Shanghai on Saturday, with more than 160 scholars and experts from both sides of the Taiwan Strait in attendance, urging efforts to promote growth of the people's well-being on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

The two-day event features a series of discussions focusing on the advancement of Chinese modernization and the shared well-being of the people on both sides of the Strait.

Addressing the seminar, Qiu Kaiming, vice director of the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, affirmed that the mainland is fully capable of addressing various risks and challenges. He emphasized that the mainland has the ability to ensure the shared well-being of the people on both sides of the Strait, and to thwart "Taiwan secession" separatist activities and external interference.

Qiu called on all Taiwan compatriots to identify where Taiwan's future and their interests lie, and to advance national reunification and rejuvenation alongside their mainland compatriots.

Experts at the seminar highlighted that the mainland's economy is built on a solid foundation, marked by resilience and vast potential. They expressed confidence in the mainland's ability to handle challenges and continue advancing toward the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Since Lai Ching-te assumed office as Taiwan's leader, he has made increasingly provocative moves, undermining the well-being of the people in Taiwan, seminar participants said.

They called for efforts to oppose separatist activities and to deepen cross-Straits exchange and cooperation.

"We all know that Taiwan is a place with a very profound Chinese cultural heritage. Therefore, in promoting cross-Straits exchanges, integrated development, and achieving peaceful reunification of the motherland, we can have more voices and capabilities to bring into play," said Zheng Jian, a professor with the Graduate Institute for Taiwan Studies at the Xiamen University.

"Today, the development of the mainland has shifted from modernization to future-oriented advancement. The mainland emphasizes strategic resolve and endurance, which are essential. On the other hand, punishment for Taiwan separatists must be precise and targeted. This should make the people of Taiwan feel that if they follow the path of Taiwan secession, not only will there be no future, but there will also be risks involved," said Yang Kai-Huang, director of the Cross-Straits Research Center of the Ming Chuan University.

Seminar urges efforts to boost growth of people's well-being on both sides of Taiwan Strait

The death toll from a landfill collapse in the central Philippine city of Cebu has risen to eight by Monday morning as search and rescue operations continued for another 28 missing people.

The landfill collapse occurred on Thursday as dozens of sanitation workers were working at the site. The disaster has already caused injuries of 18 people.

Family members of the missing people said the rescue progress is slow, and the hope for the survival of their loved ones is fading.

"For me, maybe I’ve accepted the worst result already because the garbage is poisonous and yesterday, it was raining very hard the whole day. Maybe they’ve been poisoned. For us, alive or dead, I hope we can get their bodies out of the garbage rubble," said Maria Kareen Rubin, a family member of a victim.

Families have set up camps on high ground near the landfill, awaiting news of their relatives. Some people at the site said cries for help could still be heard hours after the landfill collapsed, but these voices gradually faded away.

Bienvenido Ranido, who lost his wife in the disaster, said he can't believe all that happened.

"After they gave my wife oxygen, my kids and I were expecting that she would be saved that night because she was still alive. But the night came and till the next morning, they didn't manage to save her," he said.

Death toll in central Philippine landfill collapse rises to eight