It is the common desire of the people of China, our Taiwan compatriots included, that Taiwan should return to the embrace of the motherland and the country be reunited. It is our consistent policy that all patriots belong to one family whether they come forward early or late.

On 16 December 1978. As reported in: Daily Report: People's Republic of China, Issues 1-11 (National Technical Information Service, 1979), p. 4