"If (Taiwanese President) Chen Shui-bian clearly recognises this and abandons seeking Taiwan independence, the ARATS and SEF could immediately resume dialogue and negotiations, and any topic could be discussed," China Daily reported, quoting an unnamed senior official from the Beijing-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) as saying.

The official said the basis of the "1992 consensus" reached between officials of the ARATS and Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) in Hong Kong is that both Beijing and Taipei adhere to the "one-China" principle.

China unilaterally suspended cross-Straits talks in July 1999 when former Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui redefined cross-Straits ties as a "state-to-state relationship."

The ARATS and SEF, both non-governmental bodies are authorised by their respective governments to deal with cross-Straits relations in the absence of formal relations between Beijing and Taipei.