The spread of the news that Lien Chan and Soong Chu-yu will successively visit the mainland has aroused great repercussion at home and abroad. The matter has recently become the focus of media reports and the topic of lively neighborhood discussion. It can be said that the news has caused a wide stir before their visits take place. Motivated by farsighted people between the two sides, a new platform of links between political parties is being set up. The atmosphere of the long-stagnant Taiwan Straits has presented a scene of the swirl of breeze.

The taking of this historic step by Lien Chan and Soong Chu-yu is not easy and there is a clear line of their action to trace. When they worked together for the election of the leaders of Taiwan authorities in March last year, they expressed many political views designed to promote cross-Strait relations. Jiang Ping-kun's recent "ice-breaking tour" has paved the way for Lien Chan's upcoming visit. With regard to People First Party, through the "Chen Shui-bian-Soong Chu-yu meeting" a 10-point consensus was reached, which was quickly given goodwill and enthusiastic response by the Chinese mainland during the "NPC and the CPPCC sessions" held early this year. The most important thing is General Secretary Hu Jintao's four-point opinion toward Taiwan put forward on March 4, which shows the initiative and flexibility and the opening up of broad room for developing cross-Strait relations under the new situation, this was followed, within a very short period of time, by an all-round motivation of a mechanism for consultation and dialog between the mainland and Taiwan's opposition parties.

The Twiwan authorities "treat Tien Chan and Soong Chu-yu differently, while the mainland gives equal treatment to all political parties in Taiwan, so long as they accept the one-China principle, the mainland is willing to get into contact and conduct dialogs with them, so as to seek common ground while putting aside differences, striving to reach a consensus. Here, the starting point is aimed to develop cross-Strait relations and work for the interests of Taiwan compatriots. It is impossible to succeed at one stroke to untie the many knots in the Taiwan Straits situation, nevertheless, cross-Strait relations, after all, should move ahead, the many problems derived from cross-Strait exchanges are in urgent need of solutions, to have one more friend means to have one more way. In is invariably a good thing to establish more channels of linkage between the two sides of the Straits. The Taiwan-based Chinese Kuomintang Party and the People First Party are quite influential in the political circles on the Island, Under the circumstances wherein the Taiwan authorities do not accept the one-China principle and it is impossible to conduct cross-Strait dialogs and negotiations, the opposition parties on the Island blaze a trail by using their own channels, this meets the popular will and follows a rational line and is thus welcomed by various sides.

However, this step taken by the Kuomintang Party and the People First Party met with many twists and turns. The green camp claimed that it would conduct "judicial investigation" into the Jiang Ping-kun-led delegation's mainland visit. In order to hold back Lien Chan's mainland tour, members of the green camp have uttered no less intimidating words, such as so-called "United Front-trap", "losing Taiwan", etc. The authorities calculated that once a label is put on it, the Kuomintang would beat a retreat in face of difficulties, but this time Lien Chan defies all attempt either to throw mud, or to sling "red" at him, he stands firm on his scheduled visit to the mainland, Soong Chu-yu will follow suit to begin his mainland tour, the authorities' pressure and intimidation has proved ineffective this time.

Behind these items of news, the popular will is the greatest promoter. Taiwan people have cherished more eager hope than before that deadlock between the two sides of the Straits could be broken and that Taiwan's economy could see the breaking of the "cocoon", rise and takeoff through cross-Strait cooperation. Noticing the trend of the mainstream popular will, the Kuomintang and the People First Party have begun to act as what they said, whereas the Democratic Progressive Party has bogged down in, and is unable to absolve itself, from the "Taiwan independence" mire. Over the past few years, it has all along been following the line of "keeping itself away from China" and has been continuously bringing an illusionary "independence" imagination to its supporters. Now many years have passed, more and more Islanders have finally come to see that that is only a painted cake, and find their living tougher and tougher, Taiwan's economy has been subject to severe tests, society has paid a huge cost for it. The people yearn for conciliation between the two sides, so they place great hope on Lien's and Soong's mainland tours. The Democratic Progressive Party, on its part, is aware that Taiwan's mainstream popular will is not wanting "independence", and yet it insists on trying to drag them onto the "independence" road, the difference between the two has caused the authorities to fall into its self-made narrow room, and cannot submit an administrative score report satisfactory to the people on the Island. The only way out for the DPP is to go with the tide, cast off the "Taiwan independence" burden, and follow the road of pragmatic exchanges between the two sides of the Straits, the door of the mainland is open wide.

Taiwan compatriots are our blood brothers and members of the same big family, anything can be discussed between them. Taiwan's heavy-weight political figures are invited to visit the mainland, carrying with them the great expectations of compatriots between the two sides of the Straits and Chinese across the world! We wish their footsteps left behind in their visit to the mainland would not only left an historical impress, but also could open a new situation and offer an opportunity for cross-Strait relations.

This is an article carried on the first page of People's Daily Overseas Edition on April 22 and translated by People's Daily Online