POETIC LEADER: KMT Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung writes a couplet as he pays homage at the Mausoleum of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the founder of the KMT, in Nanjing, capital of east China’s Jiangsu Province, on May 27

Three years ago in late April, then Kuomintang (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan landed on the mainland and held what came to be known as a "historic meeting" with General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Hu Jintao. Fast-forward three years to when current KMT Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung came to the mainland on May 26-31 at Hu's invitation. His visit was considered a "historic opportunity" for cross-straits exchanges and cooperation.

Wu's six-day visit covered Nanjing, Beijing, Shanghai and Yixing in Jiangsu Province. He held many important meetings with senior CPC leaders, among which his discussion with Hu was the most significant one.

Observers on both the Chinese mainland and in Taiwan praised the meetings, saying they believe the current cross-straits relationship reflects more goodwill and interactivity between the two parties. According to Taiwan-based United Evening News, the Hu-Wu meeting represents a "dawn" of prosperity in Taiwan. Hong Kong-based newspaper Wen Wei Po said the relationship between the two parties is at a "historical jumping-off point."

"The consensus made between Hu and Wu is impetus that is going to push forward cross-straits relationship," the newspaper said.

Xinhua News Agency-run Outlook Weekly said Wu's visit displayed three characteristics of the current cross-straits relations-solving problems while shelving differences, improving efficient communications through several channels and enhancing trade and economic cooperation as well as cultural exchanges.

When meeting in Beijing on May 28, both Hu and Wu expressed their appreciation of the current mainland-Taiwan relationship. They agreed to make joint efforts to build mutual trust, lay aside disputes, seek consensus and shelve differences, and jointly create a win-win situation. They also agreed to resume exchanges and dialogue based on the "1992 Consensus," an agreement between the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) on the Chinese mainland and Taiwan's Strait Exchange Foundation (SEF), to resolve their problems through talks that placed both on equal footing.

In the midst of Wu's mainland tour, ARATS and SEF decided on May 29 that they would resume talks on June 11-14 in Beijing, to discuss launching weekend cross-straits chartered flights and allowing mainland residents to travel to Taiwan. Besides the members of the two associations, experts and business people will participate in related talks.

Hu and Wu said they would make efforts in accordance with the Five Common Aspiration and Prospects for Cross-straits Peace and Development that Hu and Lien agreed on in 2005. Hu also invited Wu to attend the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics and Wu accepted. Hu promised to send Tuantuan and Yuanyuan, a pair of pandas the Chinese mainland previously decided to give to the Taiwan people as gifts, to the island as soon as possible.

During his meeting with Wu, Hu also expressed gratitude for the Taiwan people's assistance for and donations to Sichuan Province, which was devastated by the May 12 earthquake.

Wu said that the "sky has cleared after the rain" for cross-straits relationship. "An opportunity for building up mutual benefits and renovating the cooperation has come," he said.

Both sides are expected to continue strengthening their exchanges and dialogues in the future, hold economic, trade, culture or peace forums at appropriate times, and conduct inter-party exchanges at the grassroots level.

Five Common Aspiration and Prospects for Cross-straits Peace and Development

General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee Hu Jintao and KMT Chairman Lien Chan held a historical meeting on April 29, 2005. They agreed to work together to promote cross-straits exchanges and cooperation in five areas, which are known as the Five Common Aspiration and Prospects for Cross-straits Peace and Development.

1) The two parties agreed to promote the earlier restoration of cross-straits talks and seek happiness and benefits for people on both sides of the straits.

2) The parties agreed to make joint efforts to promote the formal end of hostility across the Taiwan Straits and take steps toward reaching a peace accord by building a framework for the peaceful and steady development of cross-straits relations.

3) The parties vowed to promote all-round economic cooperation, help cement the two parties' economic and trade relations and promote the "three direct links" across the Taiwan Straits.

4) The parties promised to discuss the issue of Taiwan's participation in international activities after the resumption of cross-straits dialogue.

5) The parties agreed to establish a platform for regular exchanges between them.

(Source: Xinhua News Agency)