ARATS vice-chairman meets senior KMT officials in Taipei

Wang Zaixi, the Vice chairman of the Chinese mainland-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits, met with senior Kuomintang officials Wu Poh-hsiung and Lien Chan in Taipei on Tuesday. Wang says he has felt the friendliness of the people, and hopes to learn more about Taiwan through communication.

The meeting between officials from the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits, or ARATS and the KMT took a friendly tone. Wang says it's his first visit to Taiwan, and he's impressed by the warm welcome he has received.

Wang Zaixi said "I cherish this opportunity to come to Taiwan very much. This is what I've been wishing for years. I hope I can communicate with people from all walks of life as much as possible and visit more places, including the central south region."

Kuomintang Chairman Wu Poh-Hsiung says he looks forward to more opportunities of exchange between the two sides.

Wu Poh-Hsiung said "It's the first time for chairman Wang to visit Taiwan, but I believe it won't be his last. It's important to have more and more communications between ARATS and the Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF)."

Both sides say the recent allowance of weekend charter flights and mainland tourists visiting the island are a welcome turning point in relations.

Gifts were also exchanged as a friendly gesture. Wu presented some Taifeng tea, a Taiwan specialty, while Wang brought some souvenirs of the Beijing Olympics.