Xu said cargo tonnage handled in Kaohsiung harbor has been surging since Ma took office thanks to improved cross-Straits relations. The political motivation behind Chen's visit is to help her win next year's mayoral election against a challenging KMT candidate.

During the first stop of her trip, Chen met Beijing Mayor Guo Jinlong, where she heard about the city's experience in holding the 2008 Olympics. She said Kaohsiung would learn from Beijing's success.

She invited Guo to attend the opening ceremony of the World Games, the biggest international sporting event to ever take place on the island, which is slated for July 16-26. The Beijing mayor later told reporters he would be "very happy" if he could make it.

During Chen's later meeting with Liu Peng, Director General of the mainland's General Administration of Sport, Liu said the mainland would send more than 100 athletes to Kaohsiung for the Games.

"We hope our participation in the Kaohsiung World Games will deepen the kindred feelings between people across the Straits," he said.

Safety concerns topped Liu's half-hour meeting with Chen. Kaohsiung, in southern Taiwan, is seen as a city with a considerable number of people who are unfriendly toward the mainland.

Taiwan's athletes attended the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and received a warm welcome from the mainland's citizens, said Liu.

Chen promised "zero interference or provocative actions" from her city, and "impeccable security measures" for the athletes. "The Kaohsiung people are set to embrace the athletes with utmost passion," Chen said.

During Chen's meeting with Shanghai Mayor Han Zheng, Han expressed his confidence in drawing the two port cities closer.

"With the development of cross-Straits ties, exchanges between Shanghai and Kaohsiung are more frequent than before," he said.

Chartered flights between Shanghai and Kaohsiung began in 2003, with direct chartered flights beginning last year.

Chen expressed her wish for success during Shanghai's 2010 World Expo and said she expected more tourism development exchanges between the two cities.

By the end of February, more than 80,000 mainland tourists had visited Taiwan since the island started welcoming them last July, said Shao Qiwei, Chairman of the mainland's Cross-Straits Tourism Exchange Association. Shao said the figure is expected to go up remarkably in the future as the mainland in March allowed an additional 133 travel agencies and residents of 12 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities to organize or attend group tours to the island.