The Chinese mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) chief Chen Yunlin arrived in Taipei on Monday to begin a five-day historic visit to Taiwan.

Chen's visit marks the first ever meeting in Taiwan between leaders of the ARATS and the Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF).

On Tuesday morning, Chen is expected to hold talks with SEF chairman Chiang Pin-kung, the second meeting between them in less than six months.

They are to discuss cross-Straits direct shipping, air transport, postal services, food safety and tourism, Chen said in a speech after landing at the Taoyuan International Airport.

The two organizations would also host seminars for experts to exchange views on financial cooperation to withstand the international financial crisis, he said.

Chen said he believed that to solve differences through consultations, to replace confrontation with cooperation, to promote interaction between ARATS and SEF and to seek win-win relations across the Straits will gain the support of the majority of the Taiwan compatriots.

He said both the mainland and Taiwan are facing grim economic challenges given the financial crisis and slow-down in the growth of the world economy.

"It is imperative that the two sides join to help each other to cope," he said.

Chen also extended greetings to Taiwan people and expressed gratitude to those who made efforts to make the landmark visit possible.

He said the meeting would mark an important step in the development of cross-Straits relations. "The step is not easy and is a crystallization of the joint efforts of many compatriots across the Straits."

Chen said the compatriots across the Straits are one family and their interests rely on the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations.

The ARATS will continue to work with the SEF with a positive and pragmatic attitude to seek common ground and satisfactory results through equal consultation, he said.

The official talks between leaders of the ARATS and SEF will be held on Tuesday morning. The two organizations will sign agreements in the afternoon and hold press conferences, according to the schedule.

Founded in 1991 and 1990 respectively, the ARATS and SEF are authorized by the mainland and Taiwan to handle cross-Straits exchanges. Negotiations were suspended for almost 10 years until June, when Chen and Chiang held their first meeting in Beijing.

At a welcoming ceremony held by the SEF, Chen said that only through communications could mutual trust be enhanced and through cooperation win-win be achieved.

He promised to make concerted efforts with SEF chairman Chiang to bring satisfactory results to the talks and make new contribution to the peaceful development of cross-Straits ties.

He said the talks would not involve political issues. "No cross-Straits political issues will be involved, nor will the island's internal political affairs."

Chiang said Chen's visit to Taiwan was historic as well as a key step in achieving peace and mutual economic benefit.

He believed their talks would yield fruitful results.

On Monday afternoon, Chen also visited the widow of Koo Chen-fu, the former SEF chairman who passed away in 2005.

(Xinhua News Agency November 3, 2008)