Chiang Pin-kun, vice chairman of Taiwan's opposition Kuomintang, is surrounded by reporters upon his arrival in Guangzhou March 28, 2005. Chiang leads a delegation to visit the mainland aimed at easing cross-strait tensions. (newsphoto)

Chiang Pin-Kun, vice-chairman of the Taiwan-based Chinese Kuomintang party (KMT), is hoping his visit to the mainland will ease recently strained cross-Strait tensions as well as promote economic ties.

Chiang, who is leading a 34-member delegation, arrived at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in the Guangdong provincial capital yesterday afternoon.

The vice-chairman's arrival marks the KMT's first formal visit to the mainland since the group fled to Taiwan in 1949.

Chiang said he was particularly hoping to help farmers in Taiwan sell more agricultural produce to the vast mainland market.

Currently, Taiwan's annual agricultural sales to the mainland are around US$300 million while its agricultural imports from other provinces, municipalities and regions come to US$500 million.

Spurred by the successful direct charter flight service during the lunar new year period, Chiang said he would be discussing the possibility of providing more charter flight services across the Straits during traditional festivals and even at weekends to meet growing demand from both sides.

Chiang said he hoped to negotiate with relevant mainland departments about opening direct cargo transport links cross the Taiwan Straits, benefiting Taiwan's investors who have set up manufacturing facilities on the mainland.

Taiwan's investors "can waste no time to put their products into markets," Chiang said.

In remarks made Monday to Guangdong Governor Huang Huahua, Chiang hinted that Lien Chan, chairman of the KMT, also wants to visit the mainland later this year to discuss the possible expansion of economic ties between the mainland and Taiwan.

Also describing his visit as a trip to cherish the memory of KMT martyrs,

Chiang and his delegation are scheduled to visit Guangzhou Huanghuagang Commemoration Park where 72 KMT martyrs were buried this morning.

Before leaving Guangzhou for Nanjing, capital of East China's Jiangsu Province, Chiang met local representatives of Taiwan investors, to discuss ways of smoothing business across the straits..

In addition to Guangzhou and Nanjing, Chiang and his delegation will also visit Beijing to meet senior Communist Party and government officials. Chiang will return to Taiwan on April 1.

Guangdong Governor Huang Huahua Monday welcomed his guests from across the water and said he expected to further expand economic ties between Guangdong and Taiwan.

Huang promised to offer even better service to the Taiwan investors in his province and to protect their legal interests.

Last year, Guangdong approved a total of 1,073 Taiwan-funded projects with a total investment of US$3.96 billion.

By the end of last year, the southern Chinese province that borders Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions had registered a total of 18,440 Taiwan-funded projects and companies, with contract investments valued at more than US$36.6 billion. So far the province has attracted an actual investment from Taiwan of more than US$25.6 billion.

Last year, Guangdong purchased products totalling US$27.4 billion from Taiwan while its exports to the island reached US$2.8 billion.

Guangdong is now home to around 300,000 registered Taiwan investors and their family members with most living in Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Dongguan, Huizhou, Zhongshan, Foshan and other prosperous cities in the Pearl River Delta.