The mainland visiting delegation led by Chiang Ping-kun, vice-chairman of the Taiwan-based Chinese Kuomintang Party, has hurriedly completed a series of worshipping activities during days of the Chingming Festival (lunar April 5), initial results have been achieved as agreement was reached on 12 projects in its working talks with relevant mainland department concerning the strengthening of cross-Strait economic and trade exchanges.

Jia Qinglin, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), met with Chiang Ping-kun and his retinue, extending his welcome and invitation to Lien Chan, KMT chairman, for a visit to the mainland.

As the first mainland visiting delegation officially organized by the KMT in its own name since 1949, the "tour of memories" and the "tour of economic and trade affairs" may be hailed as a successful one.

The KMT is a political party with a long history. Dr. Sun Yat-sen, a great revolutionary forerunner who had thrice came to Taiwan and had dedicated his lifelong energy to the cause for national unification and prosperity of the Chinese nation, enjoyed and continues to enjoy the unanimous wholehearted love and esteem of the Chinese people holding different political beliefs and living in different regions, thus making him a spiritual bond that links people on both sides of the Straits and a most valuable spiritual wealth left behind to the Kuomintang.

People on both sides of the Straits have the same roots and share weal and woe, a strip of the shallow straits cannot cut off the feeling of reminiscence. The "tour of reminiscence" embodies such a feeling of history and continuation of tradition, and exhibits the Chinese people's unique national sentiments, so naturally it is easy to strike a responsive chord in people's hearts.

Compared with the "tour of reminiscence", the "tour of economic and trade affairs" carries the fervent hope of islanders, especially the industrial and commercial circles. In terms of historical origins, the Kuomintang Party has made important contribution to Taiwan's economic development, many financial and economic experts like Chiang Ping-kun inside the party always have close ties with Taiwan's industrial and commercial circles and have played a significant role in cross-Strait economic and trade exchanges.

Judging from the reality of the present cross-Strait relations, the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) and the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) cannot resume their talks due to well-known reasons, the Taiwan authorities still face cross-Strait exchanges with a mentality of prevention and control, thus making it difficult to effectively solve the problems derived from cross-Strait economic and trading exchange, in this regard, the Kuomintang naturally can exert its special role.

The mainland has clear-cut attitude toward cross-Strait economic-trade exchanges. President Hu Jintao has made solemn promises to Taiwan people in his recent four-point opinion, saying "we will, as always, earnestly work for the well-being of the Taiwan people, we will try our best to do well whatever is in the interests of the Taiwan people, and he has put forward a series of pragmatic proposals for promoting cross-Strait economic-trade exchanges.

This time, the Taiwan Work Office of the CPC Central Committee and the KMT mainland visiting delegation have achieved initial results in reaching agreement on 12 projects in relation to strengthening cross-Strait economic-trade exchange and cooperation. All these results that are in the common interests of compatriots across the Straits will surely provide a new driving force to the development of cross-Strait economic and trade relations.

Although all these are of the greatest benefits to Taiwan businesspeople, to Taiwan's economy and people's livelihood, the problem is that the Taiwan authorities who, with such words as "loving Taiwan" and "popular will" always on their lips, are actually delaying and obstructing economic-trade exchange under various pretexts. During its tour, the KMT stressed that it would provide the Taiwan people with "another kind of expectation and choice", and would not "follow the authorities in running amuck", obviously, this remark was made strictly in light of the reality, which deserves deep thoughts to be made by various social circles on the Island.

The present tour has set a precedent for dialogs between the KMT and the CPC. Taiwan media declare that the working talks held between the two parties on related topics have become a "new method for cross-Strait interaction". The Chinese mainland has repeatedly indicated that people on both sides of the Straits are Chinese, on the major premise of one-China, we are willing to let bygones be bygones and have dealings with various political parties and politicians on the Island with a broad-minded attitude.

Jia Qinglin emphasized: In order to improve and develop cross-Strait relations, we also welcome Taiwan's other party chairmen who recognize the "1992 Consensus", oppose "Taiwan independence" and stand for developing cross-Strait ties to come to the mainland for visits. Since the KMT can come, why can't other political parties? I wish the KMT's "tour of reminiscences" and "tour of economic and trading affairs" would bring to Taiwan compatriots some useful enlightenment.

Published on the front page of People's Daily (Overseas Edition) on April 1, the above article is translated by People's Daily Online