A reunion event for Taiwan businessmen to celebrate the Lantern Festival was held Saturday in Beijing by the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.

At the event, Song Tao, head of both the Taiwan Work Office of the CPC Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, delivered remarks and extended festive greetings to all Taiwan compatriots.

The mainland economy withstood pressure, overcame difficulties and achieved the expected goals in 2023, said Song.

Noting the advantages of the mainland economy, including a positive momentum of growth, strong resilience, vitality of high-quality development and huge dividends brought by reform and opening up, will be more prominent in the future, Song stressed that these will provide Taiwan compatriots and enterprises with more opportunities to stay on the mainland and seek development.

He added that only by adhering to the one-China principle and opposing "Taiwan independence" can peace and stability be maintained across the Taiwan Straits and the vast number of Taiwan compatriots and enterprises be able to benefit from more opportunities from the mainland's new development.

Song urged compatriots on both sides of the Straits to work together for the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations and advance the cause of national reunification.

"If someone is bent on harming the well-being of compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits and hurting the feelings of compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits, we will surely make them pay the price," Song stressed.

During the discussions, representatives of Taiwan businessmen voiced their confidence in continuing to stay on the mainland for development and their expectations for promoting the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations.

(Cover: A file photo of Song Tao, head of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council. /Xinhua)