Chiang Pin-kun, vice-chairman of the Taiwan-based Chinese Kuomintang Party, bows to pay tribute to a statue of Dr Sun Yat-sen at Sun's mausoleum in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, March 30. Dr Sun is the pioneer of Chinese revolution and the founding father of the republic. Chiang and his delegation will also visit Beijing and meet senior officials from the Communist Party of China before the end of their trip on Friday. (newsphoto)

A visiting delegation of Kuomintang (KMT) members Wednesday paid homage at the mausoleum oftheir party founder Dr. Sun Yat-sen in the capital of east China's Jiangsu Province for the first time in 56 years since 1949.

KMT Vice President Chiang Pin-kung and other KMT members arrived at the imposing mausoleum at about 8:40 a.m. to the enthusiastic applause of local Nanjing residents and visitors around. Chiang and other KMT members waved to crowds in acknowledgment.

Nanjing resident Li Guomin at the site said it is a "good thing" that KMT delegation paid respects to Dr. Sun Yat-sen at his mausoleum with an aim to seek peace and exchanges across the Taiwan Straits.

A solemn memorial ceremony was held at 9 a.m. in the mausoleum with Chiang and his 30-member entourage around.

Hai Chong-tian, vice president of the Nanjing-based Taiwan Businessmen Association, read out a commemorative article to eulogize Dr. Sun Yat-sen, who passed away in Beijing in 1925 and was subsequently buried in the Nanjing-based mausoleum four years later.

Chiang said at the end of the ceremony that he was "very excited" as he was able to see "universal fraternity" and "the world for all" in Dr. Sun's personal calligraphy for the first time.

"People across the Taiwan Straits should learn from Dr. Sun Yat-sen and join hands to create a win-win situation," said Chiang.

He also voiced, on behalf of other delegates, a wish to listen to views of mainland-based Taiwan businessmen and promote cross-straits trade and economic ties to develop further.

Chiang also highlighted the urgency and importance of materializing the cross-straits "three direct links" in trade, transport and mail service as soon as possible.

Chiang and his peers also toured the former venue of Dr. Sun's office, where Chiang left an epigraph calling the visit "an ice-breaking trip."

The Kuomintang visitors left Nanjing for Beijing Wednesday afternoon.