BEIJING, March 30 (Xinhuanet) -- Chen Yunlin, director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, and the visiting delegation of the Kuomintang (KMT) led by KMT Vice President Chiang Pin-kung had a meeting on cross-Straits economic exchanges and cooperation Wednesday evening. Present at the meeting were Li Bingcai, deputy director of the Taiwan Affairs Office, and representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Commerce, the General Administration of Customs, the State Administration for Quality Supervision and Inspection and Quarantine, and the General Administration of Civil Aviation. Chen told the KMT delegation that it is the consistent stance for the mainland to go all out for promoting cross-Straits economic exchanges and cooperation. It is compatible to the common interest of the compatriots on both sides and helpful for the economic development of Taiwan to strengthen cross-Straits economic cooperation and develop a close economic relationship across the Straits, he said. Chen called the sustained development of the cross-Straits economic and trade relations "an important factor of peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits area." He urged the "flesh and bone" compatriots of the two sides to join hands in creating a bright future for the improvement and development of the cross-Straits relations. In his speech, Chiang agreed that the cross-Straits economic and trade ties could be helpful for easing the tension across the Straits, resolving the contradiction between the two sides, be up to the aspiration of the people of the two sides, and be helpful for enhancing the competitiveness of Taiwan's economy. The two sides should take a pragmatic attitude in strengthening their economic and trade exchanges and people-to-people exchanges. At the meeting, the two sides discussed a wide range of issues including the regularization of air flights between the two sides, which has been encouraged by the Spring Festival flights this year; cross-Straits cooperation on agricultural sector, the sale of Taiwan's farm produce in the mainland, the mainland's labor exports to Taiwan's fishing industry; cooperation between tertiary sectors of the two sides, including banks, insurance companies, shipping firms and medical service; and protection of the interests of Taiwan investors. They also discussed ways to encourage exchanges between counties and cities across the Straits, send permanent correspondents by news media from the two sides through people-to-people discussions, allow students from two sides to pay the same school charges, and open up Taiwan as a destination for mainland tourists. The CPC Taiwan Affairs Office urged the Taiwan Authorities to lift restrictions on cross-Straits economic, trade and cultural exchanges and the exchange of personnel, so as to promote cross-Straits relations. Enditem
KMT Vice Chairman Chiang Pin-kung is meeting with CPC officials in Beijing.

A delegation of from the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT, or Nationalist Party), is meeting with Communist Party of China (CPC) officials in Beijing today, led by KMT Vice Chairman Chiang Pin-kung.

"We hope the current crisis can be minimized," Chiang said in Beijing. "After the anti-secession law was enacted we saw reactions and protests," he continued, "The Beijing authorities have likely heard it for themselves but we have also brought the voice of the Taiwanese people with us."

===Banquet and meeting===
Chen Yunlin, director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the People's Republic of China, hosted Chiang at a banquet in Beijing's Diaoyutai State Guesthouse. Chen characterized the delegation's visit as opening "party to party dialogue" and that the visit "has inaugurated the first sign of a dialogue between your Party and our Party."

Wednesday evening, Chen met with the delegation to discuss cross-Straits economic ties. Representatives from numerous other Chinese agencies were also present at the meeting, including the Ministries of Agriculture and Commerce, and the General Administration of Civil Aviation. The meeting discussed the possibility of opening up Taiwan to tourists from the mainland.

Zhu Peikang, Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of the mainland's Revolutionary Committee of the Kuomintang, also welcomed the Nationalist delegation.

Zhu said Chiang's visit was important, and "focused on the common interests of the people on both sides and the promotion of the cross-Straits exchanges and cooperation."

===Visit to Nanjing===
The Nationalists are the main opposition party in Taiwan.
Earlier in the day, Chiang was in Nanjing, to lay a wreath at the tomb of his party's founder, Sun Yat-sen. He also signed a guest book at the former Nationalists presidential office with the line, "Icebreaking journey."

"My heart was filled with limitless excitement and deep emotion," Chiang told the ''Associated Press''. "It was very moving to visit."

Nanjing was the former capital used by the Nationalists before they lost the civil war with the Communists and evacuated to Taiwan in 1949.

===Reaction===
In Taiwan, Joseph Wu, chairman of the Mainland Affairs Council, condemned the visit by the Nationalist delegation to the mainland.

"The Chinese strategy is always divide and conquer, and the KMT is playing into China's hands," he told ''The New York Times'' and ''International Herald Tribune'' reporters. "It's very odd that they would cooperate with the Communist Party instead of the ruling party here on Taiwan," Wu said.

Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Michael Ying-mao Kau disclosed that the United States is concerned about the Nationalist visit, and that American officials have privately said that Taiwan's political parties should first unify and build a consensus to strengthen their negotiating position with mainland China.