Jia Qinglin (R), chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, talks with Kuomintang (KMT) Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung (L) in Beijing, China yesterday. - Xinhua

The Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Kuomintang (KMT) should take advantage of the current opportunity and open a new chapter of peaceful development in mainland-Taiwan relations, China's top political adviser Jia Qinglin said yesterday.

Jia, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks while meeting visiting KMT Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung.

The two sides should strictly adhere to the theme of peaceful development in cross-Strait relations, live up to the expectation of the people on both sides, and maintain the good momentum in cross-Strait relations, said Jia.

Jia, also chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), highlighted the importance of Wu's visit. He is here at the invitation of CPC Central Committee and General Secretary Hu Jintao.

Jia thanked people in Taiwan for their care and support to the people of earthquake-stricken Sichuan province, noting that on the very day of the quake, the KMT Central Committee sent a sympathetic message to the mainland.

He spoke highly of Wu's pilgrimage to Sun Yat-sen's tomb in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, saying Sun devoted his life to China's national independence, integrity and renaissance. Even today, Sun still encourages the Chinese nationality to strive ceaselessly for her great rejuvenation.

He spoke highly of Wu's important contribution to promoting the improvement and development of the cross-straits relations, as well as the KMT's persistence in opposing the "Taiwan independence", recognizing the "1992 Consensus", and advocating for developing the cross-straits relations. The KMT has hereby won support from people in Taiwan, he said.

Both sides are facing the prime task of developing the economy and improving people's lives, Jia said, calling for substantial and positive measures by the two sides to make it mutually beneficial and reach a win-win deal.

He called for joint efforts to start weekend chartered flights across the straits and facilitate mainland tourists to Taiwan as early as possible.

Wu told Jia the two parties should increase dialogs under the new situation, while continuing to carry out exchanges between grassroots party organizations, to discuss and resolve problems relating to people's lives on both sides. Jia agreed with Wu.

According to Jia, the two parties have actively implemented the common aspirations issued by leaders of the two parties three years ago, which is a show of determination and sincerity of the two parties to pushing forward the peaceful development across the straits and it has cast a very important impact on the promotion of development of the cross-straits relation towards a peaceful and stable direction.

Jia called for deepening dialogue between the two parties and further strengthening their grassroots exchanges, so as to make it an important channel for increasing exchanges and cooperation between people of different circles of the two sides.

The two parties should firmly track the correct direction for peacefully developing the cross-straits relation, said Jia, citing Chinese President Hu Jintao's proposal of building up mutual trust, laying aside disputes, seeking common views and shelving the differences, and trying to accomplish a win-win deal.

Had the two parties have the welfare of the people of two sides in mind and the general situation of the peaceful development of the cross-straits relation as the focus, there must be ways to get over various difficulties on the advancing road, melt and resolve all contradictions, make the feeling between the compatriots of the two sides more syncretic and their cooperation even deeper, and increasingly widening the road of peaceful development of the cross-straits relation.

After the meeting, Jia hosted a banquet for Wu and his delegation.

Present at the meeting and banquet were Du Qinglin, vice chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, and Chen Yunlin, director of the Taiwan Work Office of the CPC Central Committee.