The Chinese mainland hopes that Taiwan authorities will deal pragmatically with a second application for entry of a mainland delegation that is to participate in an economic and cultural forum in Taiwan.

Li Weiyi, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, made the remarks at a press conference in Beijing Wednesday.

The forum will be an exchange between the Communist Party of China and the Kuomintang (KMT). The Kuomintang once invited the mainland delegation to be headed by Chen Yunlin, director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council to attend the forum. The KMT recently asked the relevant department of Taiwan to reconsider the application for the mainland delegation's entry into Taiwan.

"We hope Taiwan authorities will deal with the application pragmatically and provide necessary conveniences," Li said.

Li was asked whether the forum site or delegation head were to be changed as it has been reported in Taiwan since the "Mainland Affairs Council" on the island refused to approve the delegation's first application.

Reports that the forum location will be changed are inaccurate, Li stressed.

Li said the theme of the forum is to exchange views of common concern between compatriots across the Taiwan Straits and include discussions on economic development issues of mutual benefit.

The purpose of the forum is to enhance mutual understanding and cooperation between people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits, maintain close economic relations, realize common prosperity of the two sides and develop their relations to the direction of peace and stability, Li added.

Source: Xinhua