At the invitation of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and General Secretary Hu Jintao, Taiwan's Kuomintang (KMT) Party Chairman Lien Chan, with a large-scale delegation, will arrive in Nanjing tomorrow to kick off an eight-day "journey of peace" to the mainland.

Lien's trip will not only turn a new leaf in the history of CPC-KMT relations, but will also have a positive impact on cross-Straits economic and cultural exchanges. This will ease bilateral tension and establish a peace and development framework across the Straits.

The invitation to Lien demonstrates the mainland's sincerity towards the Taiwanese people, and its desire to make the utmost effort to develop cross-Straits relations and strive for a peaceful reunification of the motherland.

Earlier this year, non-stop and two-way charter flights by airlines from both sides of the Straits took place during the Spring Festival holidays for the first time in 56 years due to the mainland's efforts in pushing for such a programme.

In early February, the mainland also sent representatives for a special trip to Taiwan to attend a memorial service for Koo Chen-fu, chairman of Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), to show respect to Koo and Taiwan compatriots.

These positive and active moves, which helped allay cross-Straits tension, have further improved bilateral relations, were widely hailed by people from all walks of life on the island as well as in foreign countries.

In a speech delivered during the annual session of the National People's Congress in March, Hu Jintao made it clear that the mainland welcomes the efforts made by any individuals or any political parties in Taiwan towards recognizing the one-China principle that both the mainland and Taiwan belong to one and the same China.

"No matter who he is or which political party it is, and no matter what they said and did in the past, we're willing to talk with them on issues of developing cross-Straits relations and promoting peaceful reunification - as long as they recognize the one-China principle and the '1992 Consensus'," Hu said.

Jia Qinglin, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, extended a formal invitation to Lien on behalf of Hu, an open invitation for the KMT leader's mainland visit at any time he thought appropriate.

Lien's decision to make the mainland visit has equally demonstrated the KMT's confidence and courage in seeking peace and development across the Straits.

Since last year, the Taiwanese public has desired stability while getting increasingly sick of and dissatisfied with the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration's usual practice of provoking ethnic disputes within the island and confrontation across the Straits. Taiwan's mainstream public opinion strongly demands the abandonment of the radical "pro-independence" path and hopes for a new path that can ensure positive interaction, mutual benefit and a win-win situation in cross-Straits ties.

Not long before this tour, a mainland visit by a KMT delegation headed by its vice-chairman Chiang Pin-kung triggered "mainland fever," something rarely seen on the island over the past few years. Although the DPP administration and other hardline pro-independence forces have tried hard to attack and distort the KMT's mainland visit and even threatened the party with legal action, the KMT, with great support from the Taiwanese people, has not backed down and is bravely taking a bigger stride forward.

According to the schedule, Hu Jintao will hold talks with Lien after the KMT delegation arrives in Beijing. This will be the first face-to-face meeting between top leaders of the CPC and the KMT since 1949 and is thus of great symbolic significance.

It shows that for the sake of the interests of the Chinese nation and the welfare of compatriots across the Straits, the CPC and the KMT are willing to cast aside their enmity. It shows they are willing to work hard to improve cross-Straits relations and promote common development of both sides in line with the spirit of facing the future and seeking common ground while shelving differences.

It can be imagined that, compared with Chiang's mainland visit which was defined as "a trip to recall the past and do business," Lien's visit will cover more topics and have a greater significance.

Lien will not only talk with CPC leaders on how to strengthen exchanges and consultation between the two parties, but will also discuss with relevant mainland departments about wide-ranging issues relating to cross-Straits ties.

Specifically, he will exchange views with the mainland in a bid to address the political issues of great concern to the Taiwanese public, including how to achieve an early resumption of cross-Straits negotiation on the basis of the "1992 Consensus" and maintain long-term peace and stability in bilateral ties.

At a critical juncture in cross-Straits ties, Lien's mainland trip is expected to open up new ground and offer a new path and opportunity for cross-Straits interaction. The historic visit will undoubtedly deepen the love among compatriots across the Straits, enhance mutual understanding, prompt the Taiwanese public to have more cool-minded thinking about cross-Straits ties and Taiwan's future, and inject fresh momentum to "mainland fever" on the island.

The communication and consensus-building between top mainland leaders and leaders of major parties from Taiwan will become a new model for cross-Straits exchanges that is different from both talks between the semi-official SEF and the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), and people-to-people exchanges. It will play an exemplary role for all parties on the island. The achievements of Lien's visit will naturally push forward cross-Straits relations, including economic and trade exchanges.

Given mainstream public opinion on the island and the unstoppable trend towards closer cross-Straits relations, the Taiwan authorities are faced with severe choices.

Either they can stubbornly continue to pursue "Taiwan independence," hinder cross-Straits exchanges and end up being deserted by the times. Or they can face up to reality and, for the sake of Taiwanese people's well-being, accept the "1992 Consensus" and resume talks between the SEF and ARATS at an early date. They should also work together with the mainland to establish a framework for cross-Straits peace and stability, creating a new chapter in cross-Straits relations.