A Kuomintang Party (KMT) delegation from Taichung City in Taiwan yesterday arrived in Xiamen, in East China's Fujian Province, to start a four-day visit to the city.

Their arrival marked the formal start of grass-roots exchanges between the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the KMT in Taiwan.

The visit was carried out in accordance with a joint press communique released after then KMT Chairman Lien Chan met with CPC Central Committee General Secretary Hu Jintao in April this year. The communique declared that the two parties would establish a platform for regular exchanges and visits including those at grass-roots level.

This is the first time in 60 years the two parties have had grass-roots communication, intended to strengthen ties and mutual understanding across the Taiwan Straits, said Zheng Lizhong, deputy director of the Taiwan Work Office of the CPC Central Committee.

"We believe the exchanges will win strong support and benefit the development of both sides," Zheng said.

Exchanges will also be held between KMT and CPC officials in five other pairs of cities and counties, including Tainan, Changhua, Hsinchu, Keelong and Kaohsiung in Taiwan, and Shenzhen, Qingdao, Suzhou, Ningbo and Fuzhou on the mainland, according to Zheng.

Liao Feng-teh, director of the KMT's Organization and Development Committee and also the delegation's consultant, said: "Communication between the two parties is the best means to clear up misunderstanding and promote peaceful development."