WASHINGTON, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- Overseas Chinese called on Sunday for opposition against the Taiwan authorities' secession attempts, voicing their staunch support for China's peaceful reunification at the conclusion of a two-day conference here.

    In a declaration produced during the conference, the attendees also called on the United States, an important player in resolving Taiwan issue, to continue its strategic dialogues with China to contain Taiwan secessionists and support China's peaceful reunification.

    The global conference for China's peaceful unification, which began on Saturday, was sponsored by the National Association for China's Peaceful Unification (NACPU) in Washington D.C. and attended by over 300 delegates of 34 organizations from 32 countries.

    The conference came at the right time when Taiwan is to elect its new leader and Beijing to hold Olympic games in 2008, a key year to China's peaceful reunification process, NACPU President WuHuiqiu told Xinhua.

    "We have shown the world how important China's peaceful reunification course is to our overseas Chinese," Wu said, adding that the meeting was also a platform for Chinese and U.S. think tanks to exchange views on Taiwan issue, and promote Sino-U.S. relations.

    The delegates strongly slammed the Taiwan authorities' attempt to hold a referendum on Taiwanese membership in the United Nations for threatening the cross-straits relations and stability in the region, Wu said.

    Hua Junxiong, a delegate from New York who has been working in the UN for over 30 years, said that the "referendum" is nothing but a trick Chen Shui-bian plays to win the 2008 election since it is widely acknowledged that the attempt will be definitely foiled by the UN Security Council.

    Hua said he had also drafted a letter to 19 U.S. House Representatives who have introduced a bill supporting Taiwan's admission to the UN to the Foreign Affairs Committee on Nov. 8.

    "The introduction of this bill to the House in support of Taiwan's membership in the UN is in direct violation of the one China policy upheld by the United States," he said in the letter.

    "This proposed legislation also directly contravenes General Assembly Resolution 2758, which declares that the representatives of the PRC (People's Republic of China) is the only lawful representative of China to the United Nations."

    In a speech at the opening ceremony on Saturday, Chinese Ambassador to the United States Zhou Wenzhong expressed his gratitude to overseas Chinese for their persistent support and great contribution to China's peaceful reunification and development of cross-straits relations.

    He reiterated China's general guidelines and policies on Taiwan issue promulgated by the 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China last month, saying that China would steadfastly observe One China principle and promote peaceful development of cross-straits relations, while firmly opposing any attempt to seek "Taiwan Independence."

    Ye Kedong, vice director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of China's State Council, also told the meeting that his office will, on the one hand, work for the welfare of people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits and try all to pursue the peaceful reunification; and on the other, to safeguard national sovereignty and territory integrity with "necessary and resolved means" if Taiwan secessionists make any effort in any name and form to, or lead to, split Taiwan from China, he said.

    Founded in 1972 in Washington, NACPU is the first one of its kind in the world, which was followed by more than 70 similar bodies in the next three decades.