James Soong, chairman of the People First Party in Taiwan delivers a speech at the first session of the cross-Strait elites forum which is held in Shanghai today.(Xinhua photo)

The first session of the cross-Strait elites forum opened in Shanghai today. Jia Qinglin, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and James Soong, chairman of the People First Party in Taiwan are present at the forum of elites from both sides of the Taiwan Straits.