» 05/19/2008 12:15 TAIWAN – CHINA New sign of easing tensions, KMT chairman to visit mainland The visit is the first by a ruling party chief from the island. Wu Boxiong will go to Beijing, Nanjing and Shanghai. For mainland visit marks improving bilateral relations.
Beijing(AsiaNews/Agencies) – The chairman of Taiwan’s Kuomintang (Nationalist) Party Wu Boxiong will visit mainland China on 26-31 May. He will be the first ever ruling party chief from the island to visit the mainland. His visit will help thaw ties between the two sides according to mainland authorities. Mr Wu will travel to Beijing, Nanjing and Shanghai.
The trip will take place a few days after the new president of the island, Kuomintang’s Ma Ying-Jeou, takes office tomorrow.
Relations between the two sides have improved since Taiwan’s independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party under outgoing president Chen Shuibian was roundly defeated by the more mainland-friendly Kuomintang.
“Wu’s visit will be conducive to strengthening communication and dialogue of the two parties and will push forward the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations,” the mainland’s Xinhua news agency reported.
